Since I've Come Home
by Forever-Tangled
Summary: Sequel to "I'm Coming Home". Collection of one-shots of Rapunzel and Eugene fitting into living among royalty; rated T just in case, but mostly just fluff! Gets better after the crummy first chapter, I promise xD Disclaimer: I don't own Tangled.
1. Chapter 1: First Day at Home

**A/N: I've gotten quite a few requests for more short stories after I posted "I'm Coming Home", so here ya go - a collection of one-shots about Rapunzel, Eugene, and the royal family. Enjoy, and thank you so much for reading and suggesting ideas for these one-shots! (:  
_**

**Rapunzel's POV  
**The morning after my return home, I woke up in my overly soft bed. I had slept fitfully, having dreams off-and-on about Gothel and Eugene's death, but I still woke up excited to spend the day with my new family and Eugene. Pascal was curled up beside my head, so I gently picked him up off of the fluffy pillow and woke him up.  
"Today is a _very _big day, Pascal! It's my first full day home!" I squeaked. I was a little nervous, but excitement trumps nervousness, right?  
I threw on my new pink dress and then quickly combed through my hair. Goodness, I was able to brush my hair _so _quickly now! As soon as that was done, I made my bed and placed Pascal upon my shoulder before racing out of my door. Narrowly missing a maid, I paused to apologize.  
"It's fine, Princess!" she was a plump, rosy-cheeked woman with brown hair and a simple green dress. I recognized her from the celebration on my birthday. She took my hand and gave it a quick pat, telling me that my parents were in the dining hall and simply couldn't wait to see me. Thanking her, I took off down the hallway at a quick pace. I realize that running in a castle must not be proper Princess behavior, but I simply couldn't help myself! All this room...I realized how much I loved stretching my legs and running, unhindered by my long hair or the small tower I'd been confined to. When I got to the sitting-room, I hung a right and went down another long hallway, finally reaching the dining hall.  
As soon as I bounded into the room, my parents met me with broad smiles and open arms.  
"Good morning, my dear girl!" my mother smiled, hurrying to envelope me into a warm hug. I hugged her back, and then greeted my father. I was a little shy around him, as was he, but he still gave me a quick, awkward hug good-morning.  
"Oh, and nothing for me? The reason you're here right now?"  
After my father let go of me, I turned on my heel to see Eugene in the doorway. He grinned when he caught my eye, and I giggled. "Early birds get the hugs!"  
He shook his head in mock disgust. "Sure, be ungrateful. Go ahead, be my guest..."  
My parents exchanged looks - I'm not sure if they were amused or disturbed - but I walked over to give him a quick hug. When I pulled away, he grinned, but I barely caught it before I turned back to my parents.  
"Shall I make us breakfast? Where's the kitchen?"  
My father chuckled. "The chef will serve breakfast, just like he did supper yesterday evening. You can just sit and relax, dear,"  
"But I just got up! I don't need to relax," I argued. I wasn't used to being pampered. I'd cooked breakfast and lunch every morning for Gothel and I for the past five years, at least!  
"You'll have plenty to do and explore later, so save your energy," my mother reassured me.  
"I don't think you need to save any energy, Blondie. You're energetic as it is," Eugene teased, sitting down beside me at the table. My mother and father sat across from us.  
"Hey, you can't call me Blondie anymore," I pointed out, gesturing to my short hair.  
He shrugged, but my parents started talking before he could tease me any further.  
"How did you sleep, my dear? Everything was okay?" my mother asked.  
"Oh, it was fine," I smiled. "I slept well. Thank you!" I, of course, didn't want to bring up the fact that I'd had trouble sleeping: I didn't want to worry or upset them. It was due to nightmares that I hadn't slept well, anyway. Eugene threw a quick glance my way, but noticed what I was doing and gave me a slight nod.  
"And how about you, Mr. Fitzherbert?" my father asked, turning his attention to the thief beside me. (Hopefully, ex-thief...)  
His eyebrows shot up, and he clearly hadn't been expecting any questions or idle chatter directed his way. Though he had been slumped in his chair, he sat upright and looked at my father, clearing his throat awkwardly. "Oh! Uh, Eugene, please, sir. I-I...the living arrangements are wonderful, thank you, sir."  
My father chuckled, clearly amused at Eugene's awkward response; but moments later, the food arrived.

After breakfast, I begged Eugene to come explore the castle with me. He was a little apprehensive about poking around the castle, given his previous track record, but he obliged like the sweet person he is. Of course, this means that I had to deal with quite a bit of teasing, though!  
The castle_ is huge! _I've never seen anything so big and roomy in my entire life! ...Well...given the fact that I've been in a tower for eighteen years kind of affects this opinion, though. There are rooms for things I didn't even think existed: reading rooms, meeting and negotiation rooms, dining halls and sitting-rooms scattered throughout; bedrooms and sun rooms, kitchens, rooms simply for storage...it was amazing!  
Possibly my favorite place in the castle, aside from the library, is the courtyard. It's full of gorgeous flowers and plants, and you can see the sea in the distance. It's simply breathtaking.

Eugene, however, seems a bit thrown off by everything. I think he's having a hard time going from being a thief to living amongst royalty, but that makes two of us! Of course, I wasn't a thief, but I've never been around so many people in my life; nor have I been coddled or loved so much.


	2. Chapter 2: Nightmare

**A/N : Suggested by Lelo (:**

The woman gave Rapunzel a cruel smile as she turned to mercilessly kill the princess's newly found parents. The lost princess screamed and cried, begging her to stop. She fought against the chains holding her to the wall, but they only bit into her still-bruised wrists. That's when the woman turned the knife on Eugene...again.

Rapunzel flew upright in bed, gasping. That nightmare again...!

Tears were running down her cheeks, and her heart thundered. Slipping out of bed, she reached for her robe and stumbled into the dark hallway, letting her fingers trail down the doors along the hallway, counting them until she reached her parents' room.

A pale glow came from under their door, so she tapped shyly on the thick wood.

"Come in?" her mother called curiously.

"It's just me," the princess whispered, pushing against the heavy door to open it. Her parents smiled at her, looking up from the papers they held in their hands. "Oh! If you're busy..."

"No, of course not. We're never too busy for you, darling." the king gave her a gentle smile, setting his papers aside and reaching his arms out to his daughter.

She let out a relieved breath and quickly padded across the room, flinging herself into her father's strong embrace. He pulled her up onto the bed between him and the queen, who stroked the girl's short hair.

"Dearest girl, what's the matter?"

"It probably seems silly, but I had a nightmare. Gothel was in it," she nibbled on her lip and looked up at her parents.

"I see. But she's gone, correct? You need not worry about her any longer. You're safe her, my girl." she kissed her forehead, but she still wasn't reassured.

"I know, but...she hurt you guys and Eugene," she glanced down at her lap, embarrassed by her silliness. Her having a bad dream and looking to them for comfort was likely a mere annoyance to her parents...it always had been to Gothel.

"You mustn't worry about us, either; or Eugene, for that matter. The guards would be more than happy to have a go at Gothel if she somehow came back, and that goes for anyone who attempts intrusion. We had security increased after she kidnapped you," she told her gently.

"I know. I suppose bothering you was pretty silly-"

"Never! You're more than welcome to spend the night in here, if it would make you feel better," the king offered, his gentle smile never slipping from his face.

"Oh, I couldn't. You two were busy to begin with, and...and I'm a grown woman. Isn't that...only a comfort for small children?" She didn't want to seem immature or bother her parents' work.

The queen shook her head. "We never had the opportunity to comfort you after a nightmare when you were a child. Plus, those papers are just invitations from other countries for formal events. They can be tended to tomorrow, yes?"

The princess's father agreed, and Rapunzel smiled, reaching to kiss her parents' cheeks.

Within a minute, the papers were gone from the bed and stacked neatly on her mother's nightstand, the candles snuffed, and Rapunzel was curled under the thick blanket blanket with her parents, one on either side of her. Her father kept a hand on her shoulder, and her mother kept her close. It was a pleasant, secure feeling that she'd never felt before : a family who truly cared for her.


	3. Chapter 3: A Thief In A Royal's World

Bow. Sit straight. "Your majesty. Yes sir. No sir." Stuffy suits. Elbows off the table. Eat slowly.

Foreign language to a former thief.

Eugene had only been in the castle for one month, but he could hardly stand it.

Life was _too _easy!

Everything was practically handed to him on a silver platter, and now all of the townsfolk respected him; now that he had found the princess. The only times he enjoyed himself? When he was in the library or when he was spending time with Rapunzel.

He was bothered by the fact that suddenly, everyone forgave him of all his bad deeds, just because he found the princess. He didn't deserve it, and couldn't _somebody _still have a beef with him?! Did no one remember that little detail, you know, about being a thief?

Finally, he made a plan of action. Deciding to talk to Rapunzel about it first, he sought her out, eventually finding her in the courtyard, tending to the flowers.

"Hey, Blondie," he announced himself as he strode up behind her. He just had to smile as soon as he saw her. Her short hair shone softly in the sun, and her slender form bent so she could sniff a blue flower.

"Oh! Hello," she straightened, turning to glance up at him with a smile. "What's up?"

"I want to ask your dad something, but I thought I would talk to you about it first," he said, "see if you find it's a good idea."

"Mhm?"

She was gently pinching dead blossoms from a pot of impatients, but was still paying attention to him. He watched her long, slim fingers work gently and quickly, a small smile still gracing her face.

I-I don't know. I've been kind of-"

"Uncomfortable here?" she asked quickly. She paused her work to meet his eyes.

"How..?"

"You've been acting like you feel out of place,"

"Yeah. I just don't feel like I deserve all this royal treatment. I was thinking of talking to your father, see if he has a file of reports listing the places I'd robbed. I'd like to work out a deal with them to work for them for free until I kind of pay off what I stole from them. Does that make sense?"

Rapunzel gave him a soft smile. "Yes, it makes sense. I think it's a wonderful idea, Eugene! Do you want me to go find Father?"

"I can find him-you're busy with...what now?" he asked, watching as she knelt by a pot of drooping, black flowers.

"I'll need to tell Mother that these need replaced," she nodded decisively.

Holding a hand out, he helped her back to her feet. "I see. And you wouldn't...you know...feel lonely or something if I would go away and be at work all day?" he asked awkwardly.

She laughed. "Eugene, you're too sweet. I have my parents...when they're not busy. Plus, there are all the..the people who work here, and Pascal, of course," she gestured to her shoulder. "I'll be okay. Remember, I'm used to being alone."

He nodded. That's why he didn't want her to be or feel alone ever again, though. "Okay. So, it's a good idea?"

"Yes! Of course," she nodded excitedly.

"Okay. Well, I'll let you get back to your gardening, and I'll see if I can find your father." he told her, and she nodded.

"Good luck. I'll see you at supper!"

"Yep. See you at supper, Blondie." he chuckled when she gave him a _look, _meant to let him know that she didn't appreciate the inaccurate nickname, but then he left to find her father, nervous about the conversation.

When he finally found the King, he knocked on the slightly adjar door. His knees were shaking. He really didn't want to talk to the King.

"Come in, darling," the man called absentmindedly, and Eugene almost snorted. This was bound to get awkward.

"It's, uh, Eugene, sir." he poked his head into the office room.

The King's head shot up. "Oh. Well, take a seat, Mr. Fitzherbert."

"Uh, Eugene, sir," he cleared his throat. "Please."

He nodded, setting his pen aside and evaluating the thief who had stolen his daughter's heart. "Go on."

Eugene, stumbling over his words terribly, managed to explain his idea. The King nodded, stroking his short beard thoughtfully as he considered the young man's change. Instead of basking in the free ride, he wanted to work. Or was he simply trying to impress him?

"Eugene, I will put a request in with the guards. I'm sure they will be happy to give you every single report. I'll get in contact with the merchants and explain your motives. They'll believe me far before they'll believe you."

"Yes, sir. Thank you, sir." he nodded.

"I will notify you, probably in two weeks' time, of what your schedule will be."

"Thank you, sir," he nodded and awkwardly bent to bow, horrified when he realized that he'd forgotten to do so upon entering the room.

"Ahh, none of that. We aren't that strict, at least I am not. Oh, and before you go?"

"Yes, sir?" he held his breath, waiting for bad news. Had he done something?

"I appreciate the changes you are undergoing. It isn't easy to change yourself, especially considering your circumstances. It lets me know that you take my daughter seriously."

"I do, sir," he nodded, relieved. "I'd do anything for her."

He nodded. "When the time comes, I will be happy to give her into your care, rather than send her away to a different kingdom with a complete stranger. But if she changes her mind, if she no longer wishes to marry you, you must let her go. Let her do as she wishes. I trust that you know this, correct?" he gave the man a pensive stare, watching his reaction. He didn't want his old habits resurfacing, and he didn't want him to be using them, let alone his daughter. He didn't trust him completely; not yet.

Eugene gave the right response immediately: his face dropped at the mention of letting the girl go.

Eugene's stomach knotted at the mere thought, but of course he would let Rapunzel do as she wanted.

"Yes, sir. I understand that, and I will do anything to keep her happy, sir."

"Of course, in the event that that would happen, we would ensure you a place to live, and any assistance you may need..." Of course the King was testing him.

He shook his head. "I would be thankful, but I can fend for myself. I don't expect anything from you." He had figured out what was going on. "Sir, you don't have to be suspicious of me. I get it, but I'm trying to change. Mind, I fell in love with your daughter before I knew she was a princess. I expected to be executed upon my return to the kingdom. I appreciate what you do for me, and I am hoping to work because I know I don't deserve this, and I'm sick of being treated like royalty when I know I'm not anything close. And yes, if Rapunzel changes her mind, I'll be out of your hair. It'd kill me to let her go, but I would." he swallowed, surprised with his speech, but the king seemed satisfied with it.

"I appreciate it, Eugene."

Eugene nodded, bowing before turning to leave.

Just as he opened the door, Rapunzel burst into the room and ran smack into his chest.

"Ooh! Sorry!" she backed up, giggling. "How did it go?"

"It went very well. I am pleased with his stepping up to make amends," her father stood to greet her, and she beamed at Eugene a moment before racing over to hug her father.

"I told you, he's a good person! Now, can I go for a walk with him, please? I want to show him this really neat shrub I found..." she trailed off before she went on explaining the plant she was so excited about. Looking up at her father, she batted her big eyes, waiting for the response.

"Yes, you may. Don't be late for supper, dear."

"We won't!" she smiled, hugging him one more time before whirling on her heel, grabbing Eugene's arm and fairly dragged him from the room, chattering eagerly.


	4. Chapter 4: A Normal Girl To A Princess

Rapunzel sighed, picking at the overly-poufy skirt of the dress that her mother had requested she wear. This was the first time she had worn shoes - _ever_ \- and her feet ached. Her crown felt heavier on her head by the minute.  
The Queen flashed her a long-suffering glance, nodding when Rapunzel straightened. The princess added a small, awkward nod in the direction towards the tributaries' son, who was gazing at her. The young, seventeen year old had taken an odd fancy to her, which she was trying to avoid like the Plague. Quite frankly, Rapunzel couldn't wait for this meeting- or tea, or whatever you call it- to be over with. She found it entirely too painful and she felt quite out of place. Unfortunately, it seemed as though this would drag on forever.

Suddenly, though, the door burst open, and a flamboyant Eugene strutted in, talking loudly in a teasing voice. "I've come to snatch away the fair princess for a stroll on this lovely day-"  
Rapunzel and the Queen shot out of their chairs; one excited and the other horrified. "Eugene!" they both cried.  
That's approximately when the young man realized that Éire's tributaries were sitting at the table, staring at him with a mix of horror and amusement.  
"O-oh! Um, my apologies. I-I...I'll just go-" he stammered awkwardly, but his feet stayed frozen to the spot where he'd stopped.

"Could I go, Mother?" Rapunzel asked quietly and hesitantly. She hadn't spoken in over two hours, she was feeling very unneeded and uncomfortable - between the clothes and the young tributary continually trying to catch her attention.  
"Sit. Please," her mother said instead, without even a glance towards her daughter. "We will have a discussion later, Eugene."  
Rapunzel's face fell, but she returned to her seat, trying to hide her disappointment from the other country's tributaries, which were of fairly high importance. They for sure would think her disappointment was unwarranted; possibly concluding that she was spoiled or not disciplined; a bad first impression to leave with, especially when you're meeting the princess whose disappearance had caused such an uproar for the past eighteen years.  
Eugene noticed her discomfort and disappointment, and quite frankly, he'd seen her with those expressions way too often lately. No way was he leaving without at least pointing it out to her mother first.  
Gulping, he touched the Queen's elbow and led her a few feet away, talking quietly. Finally, she sighed, nodding.  
"Fine. But be back by supper - and I'll have a discussion with _both _of you later." she shook her head, clearly unamused.  
Rapunzel gasped, jumping out of her seat one more time. She stumbled over to hug her mother, thanking her profusely. Next, she grabbed Eugene's arm and fairly dragged him from the room. They were out of the door by the time she remembered her manners. Whirling around, she stepped into the doorway and gave a quick curtsy.  
"It was a pleasure to meet you all," she said quickly and breathlessly, and the three tributaries returned the gesture, rising from their seats to do so. She couldn't help but notice how longingly the boy looked at her.  
_That _just made her leave the room quicker!  
As soon as they were out of earshot, she stopped. "Wait. These things have to come off!" she hopped from one leg to the other, yanking the heeled, leather prisons off of her feet.  
Chuckling, Eugene followed her down a series of hallways. "You really don't like shoes, do you?"  
"No! They're terrible! Oh, wait out here one second - I'll be out as soon as I'm out of this stinking dress!"  
Eugene shook his head, grinning at her very un-princess-y antics as he stood outside of the closed door and waited for her to come back out.  
Pretty soon, she re-emerged, the crown still atop her head and a simpler, pink dress on. Pascal sat on her shoulder.  
"You ready?"  
"Mhm! Get me out of here!" she laughed, snagging his hand and half-skipping beside him, pleased at her lighter skirt as well as her freed feet. She was completely unaware of the adoring gaze Eugene was giving her. He was pleased to see her so excited.  
They didn't speak until they were just outside of the castle's limits, walking through a place in town that was mostly free of buildings and houses. Not many people went there, so it had sort of become her and Eugene's special little spot - plus, it was a shortcut to a small wooded area, which was perfect for daydreaming and chatting.

But Rapunzel hadn't been able to do either of those things in a long time. The past couple of months had been filled completely with training: she had to make up with the time lost; she had to learn how to become a princess and act like one _now_, according to her mother more so than her father. She had almost no time to explore the outdoors, and was devastated because of this: it was almost autumn now, and she wanted to explore the forests with all the beautiful leaves. She'd never experienced autumn before. And to top it all off, she had had even lesser time with Eugene, since his work schedule and her training schedule conflicted. They saw each other at dinner, but Eugene almost always retired to bed shortly after.

"Okay, spill."  
"Hm?" she had been distracted, lost in her own thoughts, and was surprised when Eugene spoke up.  
"You haven't been yourself lately. What's wrong?"  
"Oh! Um..it's nothing," she looked down at her feet, clearly avoiding his question.  
"But it's something," he prodded, "do I have to tickle it out of you?"  
"No!" she gasped, giggling and moving a couple of feet away from him, just to be safe. "No. It's just...I don't feel like I belong here."  
"Oh?"  
"I mean...I'm so thankful, and I love my parents so much, but...the constant princess training! And the stiff tea - meeting - things, and the puffy dresses, and the heavy crown I have to wear _all the time;_ and-and the _shoes!_ The tributaries' son took to nearly _flirting_ with me today, and it's just so - so...not me. I don't fit in at all! Maybe I'm not princess material. I never get any time outside anymore, and it's not like I'm doing anything useful inside, either - like cooking or cleaning." She sighed, lacing her fingers together and staring at them as she walked. "I'm a terrible daughter, I guess. I'm just going to let them down, and then they'll be disappointed and they'll think I'm a waste of time, and-"  
"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Wait up a sec. They won't be disappointed in you or see you as a waste of their time. C'mon, they spent the past eighteen years searching for you! I think you just need to be eased off of the intensive training stuff a bit. Your father agreed with me that your mother has been kind of pushing you - we had a discussion the other night. I think you'd take a whole new perspective if you weren't constantly pushed and had some time to yourself. Maybe we - or you - could talk to your mother about teaching you some more useful things, and letting you have Sundays off, like I do?"  
"She'd _never _have that. She thinks I need to become a princess like-like _that!_" she snapped her fingers and then sighed, reaching up to twist a lock of her short hair between her fingers.  
"You can always ask. And as for your wardrobe, you're just gonna have to get used to that, Blondie."  
"I know," she sighed again. This wasn't making her feel any better. This walk was just making her think about the things she didn't want to think about! Eugene quickly realized this, and slung an arm around her shoulders. "Hey. Don't fret, just enjoy this rare walk with your favorite thief."  
She rolled her eyes. "_Ex-_thief. Right?"  
"Mmhmm, only..." he tapped his lips with his other hand. Operation Make-Her-Smile was a go. "I need this." he quickly snatched the crown she still had on her head: something that always made her laugh.  
"Hey!" she laughed, trying to grab it back. He held it just out of reach, giving her a teasing grin.  
"You were just complaining about it not too long ago..."  
"Okay, here!" she hopped up on tiptoe, snagged it, and reached up to nestle it on Eugene's head.  
"Does it go with my vest?" he asked, pulling a concerned expression as he batted his eyes.

Ducking her head to laugh, she shook her head. He knew just how to lighten the mood.  
"And do you think I need to set that tributary boy in his place?"  
She shook her head, snorting before she realized how un-ladylike that was of her. "Mother would _kill _you."  
"But that's the only downside you see...? I don't have any competition as of yet?"  
She gasped. "Eugene!"  
"What?"  
"You know what!"  
"Do I?" he teased, shoving her gently with his shoulder.  
"Yes!" she rolled her eyes, but shoved him back playfully.

They headed back to the castle soon after, Rapunzel in a much better mood. When they neared the castle, Eugene cleared his throat.  
"So, are you going to talk to your parents?"  
"I don't know. Maybe. I'm just...scared," she said quietly. "Gothel always hated it if I asked something of her, or questioned something she told me to do."  
"But your parents aren't Gothel," he pointed out.  
"I know," she nodded, taking a deep breath before pushing the heavy wooden doors open.

To say the Queen was irked would be an understatement. They were just slightly late for supper, which didn't ease her irritation.  
"You'll need to learn how to sit through tea, young lady; especially when tributaries are present! And did you have any idea how late it was getting?"  
It was only six thirty. "Yes, Mother. I apologize," she stared down at her lap, but shot a sidelong glance towards Eugene.  
"And _you! _You _must _learn to knock. Lady Charlotte and Sir Montag were horrified at the lack of-of proper behavior!"  
"My apologies, Your Highness." he nodded, ducking his head as well. The woman terrified him, quite frankly.  
The Queen turned back to her daughter. "And the fidgeting, my word!"  
"Laurel." the King cleared his throat, and Eugene looked up at him. The King looked as afraid of her as Eugene felt. "She-"  
"There is absolutely no excuse!"  
"Your Highness, she doesn't know how to act. She's only been here for...for a little while. She won't act perfect right off the bat," Eugene blurted. His face, neck, and ears were red.  
"I agree with Eugene," the King added.  
"I'm trying, Mother, but it's just so hard, and I don't feel like I fit in here, and I'm used to having more time to myself, and-and not wearing shoes. It's hard to adjust!" Rapunzel gulped, looking almost fearfully at her mother.  
When her mother saw her daughter's expression, she softened. "Is this true?"  
"Yes. Eugene knows," she mumbled.  
She nodded. "And you were too afraid to come to us, I'm assuming?"  
"I-I just-"  
"It's okay," she made a smoothing motion with her hand. "We can make changes, I suppose. Now, you'll still have to train to become Queen, but I suppose you don't have to learn all of this straight away. Maybe a little free time would do you well," she nodded.

Rapunzel's eyes widened. That was a lot easier than she had imagined. "Really?"  
She nodded once more, and Rapunzel flew out of her chair, padding around the table to grab her mother in a very un-princess-like hug.  
"I'm sorry for misbehaving today, Mother."  
"It's alright, dear. I understand now," she kissed her cheek and put her arms around her daughter in return, and the two of them remained in the hug for a few moments. Both men gazed at the mother-daughter moment.  
Eugene and the King realized that they were doing the exact same thing, and exchanged knowing glances over the ladies' heads just before the hug was broken.  
"Now," she pulled away. "Eat your supper, and we'll set up a schedule. I'm assuming you'll want time to be with Eugene on Sundays, correct?"  
The princess nodded ecstatically. "And maybe we could do lessons on the balcony or in the garden!"  
They continued to chat with an increasing level of eagerness, making plans to better suit the girl so she could learn to one day rule the kingdom of Corona.


	5. Chapter 5: Fall

Fall came soon after Rapunzel's return to the kingdom. By October, Eugene had finished up his work, clearing his name from the robberies he'd committed, but he soon after found work: helping an elderly gentleman in carpentry and woodworking. He thoroughly enjoyed his work, and found that he was a natural with wood, but he was always happy for Sundays to roll around so that he could spend the afternoon with Rapunzel.

Rapunzel was generally equally as excited: she had no lessons, and after the royal family attended church, she was free to do as she pleased. She typically made the most out of Sundays, especially when the weather was fair.

By the middle of October, leaves had started falling from the trees. Eugene wanted to show her the nearby forest (their favorite walking location - the woods that eventually led to the bridge and the Snuggly Duckling restaurant) before all the leaves fell from the trees, so on the third Sunday of October, he brought the topic up as soon as they had finished lunch.

"So, Blondie," Eugene started.  
The girl's parents exchanged amused expressions, and Rapunzel rolled her eyes at Eugene. "I should just stop answering to 'Blondie'."  
"Then I'd just repeat it until you got annoyed enough to answer me," he winked, and she gave him an exasperated sigh.  
"What were you going to say?"  
"I was wondering if you would like to go for a walk in the woods. You've never seen fall leaves, have you? I mean, not just from your window?"  
Her face immediately brightened, and she gasped excitedly. "Oh, _yes! _When?"  
"Anytim-"  
He didn't get to finish the sentence, because Rapunzel had immediately burst out of her seat and grabbed his arm. Fairly dragging him out of his seat, she bounced on her toes excitedly. Not only were they going to see something she'd always longed to see up-close, they were also going to go for a walk on her favorite trail!  
"Take a cloak, dear - it's bound to be chilly out. And you too, Eugene," the Queen called, laughing, as Rapunzel hauled Eugene out of the dining hall and down the hallway.

The young girl didn't even hear her mother, but Eugene did, and managed to snag his cape, as well as hers, from the armoire at the personal entryway to the castle before Rapunzel raced out of the castle.  
"Hey, slow down," he laughed. Glancing down, he was relieved to see that she had somehow ended up with shoes on - that meant her common sense had returned for at least two seconds.  
"Who wants to slow down when there are new things to experience?!" she called, turning to look at him with an excited grin.  
He shook his head, jogging to catch up and grab her arm, stopping her. "Those of us that know we should pay attention to where we're running, as opposed to something behind you," he teased, gesturing to the stone half-wall she'd nearly rammed into.  
"Thanks," she giggled, blushing. "I'm just really excited, I guess."  
"As you should be. After all, how cruel is it that you had to stay locked in a tower, not even getting the chance to run through or jump in a pile of leaves? Assuming Gothel didn't haul bunches of leaves inside for you to play in," he added.  
"She definitely did _not _bring leaves in for me to play in," she laughed. "And now I'm too old for it, obviously."  
"Who says?" he asked.  
She started to ponder that, but just shrugged. Gothel would've frowned upon running about acting like a child, but then again, that was Gothel. Mother might even disapprove of her jumping in leaves, since she would more likely than not dirty her dress up. But this was Eugene, who was older than she and still acted like a kid sometimes.

They walked at a quick clip, and made it to their favorite spot in no time at all. Rapunzel gasped as soon as they neared the forest.  
"They're so...so gorgeous!" She had seen stray leaves swept up and taken away by the wind before, but they were simply magnificent when they were still all bunched together on the tree's limbs. "Oh, look at the pretty colors! There must be at least three shades of crimson, and rust, and...and that golden-yellow...!"  
He chuckled. "I can guarantee I already know what you're going to paint after we get home, right?"  
Her eyes brightened even more so. "Definitely! Ooh, thank you-thank you-thank you!"  
"What?"  
"For bringing me out here, silly!" she exclaimed. Before he could respond, she had taken off into the forest, yelling, "I'll race you to the big oak!"  
Eugene shook his head as he folded the cloaks under one arm and started jogging after her. He stayed a couple yards behind her, watching as she slowed her pace to veer off-track and crash through mounds of leaves that were ankle-deep.

When they both reached the big oak tree - the place that they generally stopped at to eat or rest while on their longer walks - Rapunzel stopped, leaning up against the tree and laughing breathlessly. Her face held pure glee, and her eyes shone as she took in the sights one more time before focusing her attention on Eugene, who had caught up to her.  
He grinned at her. "Enjoying yourself?"  
"Just a little bit," she teased.  
"Just a little bit? Are you seriously _that _hard to please? Geez." the young man played along, but stepped closer so he could pluck a single, small leaf from her short hair. He twirled it for a moment by its stem between his thumb and forefinger, but then let it fall to the ground before handing the dark purple cloak to the princess. "Your nose and cheeks are getting red."  
"Of course my cheeks are, Eugene, I was just running!" she exclaimed. She didn't want to be hindered by the cloak: she enjoyed being able to stand up, sit down, and kneel without having to keep track of her cloak so she wouldn't step on it. She'd nearly choked herself at least twice with the wretched thing, and she'd only had it for a month!  
He jokingly gave her a long-suffering sigh before draping it around her shoulders and fastening it around her neck himself.  
"Your mother would have a cow if you ended up sick."  
That much was true. She huffed before agreeing.  
The next thing Eugene knew, he was getting bombarded by handful after handful of leaves. "Hey!" he yelled, bending to grab some leaves of his own to throw in retaliation.

All too soon, the sun was just beginning to set. They no longer had ammunition on-hand, as most of the leaves in the small area surrounding the big oak had been scattered - by their leaf-fight, of course. Rapunzel noticed that the forest had begun to lose light, and she finally walked up to Eugene, who held his hands behind his back.  
"Are we done with our leaf-war?" he asked teasingly.  
"It's going to get dark soon," she pointed out. "Otherwise, I could probably stay out here forever!"  
"Me too," he nodded. "It's a very pretty place in the fall."  
Then, he revealed what he held in his hands: just enough leaves to set atop Rapunzel's already disheveled hair. She shoved his chest. "Hey! No fair!"  
"All's fair in love and war," he teased, ducking to give her cheek a quick peck. She shrank away, and he laughed when her nose wrinkled in mock-disgust. Of course, the grin on her face betrayed her - as usual.

They took their time walking back through the trail, knowing full well that they would likely be late for supper. Rapunzel finally took a deep breath and caught the scent of the leaves.  
"What makes them smell so...so nice?" she asked.  
He paused. He really didn't know. "To be honest, I don't know. It's funny how something dead can smell so nice, isn't it?"  
She gasped. "Well, _that _was so poetic," she said sarcastically.  
"Well, how would _you _explain it? I'm being literal," he defended himself.  
She struggled to think of a nicer way to say it, but ended up giving in.  
Eugene laughed when she admitted she couldn't think of a nicer way to put it, and then slung an arm around her shoulder. "We'd best hurry back as soon as we get to the entrance of the pathway. It's getting dark pretty quickly, and your parents are probably already going to have my hide for keeping you out." 


	6. Chapter 6: Snowfall

Rapunzel gasped, rushing to the window as something caught her attention.  
Snow!

She'd seen snow. She knew how cold it had gotten in the tower when it snowed. But she'd never felt snow! It was a splendid Thursday afternoon, just after her daily lesson, and so she trotted to the library in search of Eugene. She knew he would be in the castle - his work had been cut back quite a bit because of the cold weather and a lack of wood. She found him, as suspected, in the library, curled up on a chair with a book.  
"It's snowing!" she exclaimed, bouncing excitedly through the doorway.  
"Mmh...great." he set his book down. He'd spent way too many winters cold, hungry, and homeless to get excited about it anymore. It was cold, it was wet, and he wasn't about to go out in it.  
"It _is_ great, isn't it?!" she exclaimed, not catching the sarcasm in his voice. "Come outside with me, please?"  
"Why do you want to go out there? It's freezing. You'd be crazy to go out there!" he said, trying to discourage her. He _would_ like to spend some time with her, just...not outside.  
Her smile faltered. "It's just that I've never been outside in the snow, and it looks so pretty,"  
Immediately, he felt bad for trying to discourage her. Of course, she didn't know what snow was like.  
He stood up, laying the book carefully down on a nearby side-table. "Alright, don't give me your puppy-dog-eyes. Come on,"  
She immediately brightened, grabbing his hand and nearly dragging him from the library.  
"For you being trained to be a princess, you sure don't act like one yet," he teased grumpily, but he followed her. She careened around the corner to the private entrance to the castle. "Hey, wait up. You'll need a cloak and hat, and...oh, come here!"

The girl paused, hand on the door, to look back at him. He snagged her cloak from the armoire at the door and set it on her shoulders, letting her fasten the clasp at her white throat.  
"Thanks," she grinned.  
"Yup," he teasingly dropped one of his larger knit hats over her hair. The edge slipped down to cover her eyes, and she giggled, peeking up at him before pulling it off and jamming it back onto his own head. He tossed her cloak hood over her head next, but then went to retrieve his own cloak from the armoire. "Okay, c'mon." he reached past her to open the door.

She gave a squeak of excitement, racing out of the castle...in her bare feet.  
"Hey! Shoes! You'll get frostbite!" he yelled. Good night, this was like trying to take an overeager three-year-old outside!  
She made various sounds of disgust, but went back inside to tug on the warm stockings and boots they kept in a drawer inside the armoire.  
She was back outside in a heartbeat.

Tilting her head up, she allowed those amazing snowflakes to kiss her cheeks and nose. She smiled, scrunching her nose up at the cold. Then she gazed around at the landscape surrounding them. "It's so beautiful," she whispered, "just like I'd dreamed it would be."  
"As cold as you dreamed it would be, too?" Eugene asked, and she rolled her eyes, giving him a playful shove before turning her attention back to watching the fluffy flakes fall from the sky. Eugene grinned as he watched her. The cold didn't bother him so much; the sight of her enjoying this new experience warmed his heart. She was always so positive, so happy...she even got excited over _snow_.  
His hand slid into the pocket of his black pants, fingering the simple ring he'd recently bought from the jeweler -with his own wages.  
_Not quite yet_, he tried to tell himself.  
"Isn't it gorgeous, Eugene?" the girl whirled around suddenly, almost as if she could tell he was thinking about her.  
"Y-yes, I suppose it is," he nodded, trying to gather his thoughts. How could he be so scatterbrained when he was around her? "But the person I'm looking at right now is even more gorgeous than the snow, just for the record."  
She blushed at least three shades of red. She still wasn't used to being complimented, especially on her appearance.

"O-oh. Well, uh..." she smiled shyly, looking down at her boots to watch the snow clump on them. It was much better than looking at the young man's face and feeling as though her heart might leap out of her chest.  
He quickly changed the topic.  
"The snow will be more fun when you can have snowball fights, build snowmen..you know...fun stuff."  
"Huh?" she cocked her head curiously, risking a glance up at him. Snowball fights? And how did one go about building a snow man? She'd read about it before, but thought them mere fiction.  
He shook his head. "Oh, I'll teach you how when we have enough snow," he promised.  
"I can't wait!" she grinned, walking over and pulling him into a quick, sudden hug.  
"What? Getting cold?" he asked, slipping his arms around her in return.  
"No! Thanks for coming outside with me!" she flashed another completely endearing grin up at him, and he just about melted.  
"Yes, your highness-" he tried to joke to cover up the fact that she was driving him crazy, and she laughed, pulling out of the hug and punching his arm gently.  
"Quit!" she giggled, shaking her head before something else caught her attention: how slippery the powdery snow was on the cobblestones.

Eugene's hand slipped back into his pocket to grasp the cold metal of the ring, but this time he pulled it out. It took a lot of chutzpah for him to just pull the ring from his pocket and say her name, catching her attention.  
"What?" she asked, swinging around on one heel to look at him curiously when he called her name.  
"I-I, uh..." Oh well. Any audacity, and guts he'd had a few seconds ago...they were gone. "Uh, that is...oh, to heck with the stupid speech! Will you marry me?"  
She gasped, and almost slipped on a damp spot on the cobblestone. "Wh-what? Eugene, I'm not even nineteen yet. I haven't been out of my tower six months! I want to explore the outside world more."

Girls normally got married by sixteen, but Eugene understood her refusal. Still, it seemed hard to swallow. "Okay. Sorry, I thought it might be too soon, but..uh, I-I thought I'd at least ask."  
"It's okay," she smiled gently at him to show that he hadn't scared or upset her. "I _do _want to marry you, Eugene - someday. Just...I just don't feel ready yet. If you get tired of waiting for me, you can always just find-"  
He shook his head. "Nope. I'll wait for you until the day I die, but I hope it doesn't take that long," he cleared his throat and grinned at her. He tried to find something to say to change the subject, and saw the snowflakes changing size. "Now, that aside, do you see how big the snowflakes are getting? They're clumping together and-"  
She laughed, blushing as she bounced on tiptoe to give him a quick, shy kiss. "I love you!"  
Now, how could he not smile at that? "Love you too. But, seriously - look how big the flakes are getting. I'm serious!"

The brunette turned away from him once more, gasping as she watched some flakes collide together on the way to the ground, getting bigger and bigger the more flakes as it bumped into. She caught the conglomerate of white fluff in her bare hand and showed it to Eugene, watching as it melted on her cold hand. She shook the wet remains from her hand and rubbed them together, glancing a bit guiltily towards the tall man beside her as she realized how right he'd been about the chilliness of the snow.


	7. Chapter 7: A Talk With the King

**A/N: Thanks so much for all your support, ideas, reviews, favorites, and follows! You guys are all amazing, seriously. (:**

**_  
This one-shot was suggested by silviatangled**

He sucked in a deep breath, his hand shaking on the doorknob. It was two weeks before Christmas. Rapunzel was on a walk with Emilie, and he was, of course, off work, so he had some free time.  
And how was he spending it, you may ask?  
Talking to Rapunzel's parents.  
The King had already granted him entrance...why was he prolonging this? He needed to just spit it out, get it over with, and then he could go read or something. Anything that wouldn't make his stomach churn.  
"Your highness-es..." he broke off with horror as he realized the Queen was there as well. He bowed hastily before entering the room the rest of the way, shutting the door behind him. "I'd like to talk to you about Rapunzel."  
He gulped. How could he be sweating? Flynn Rider would've never gotten sweaty over talking to someone. But then again, Flynn Rider likely wouldn't have asked a lady's parents for the girl's hand in marriage. Then _again_, Flynn Rider likely wouldn't have married said lady. He was a swashbuckling rogue, not a husband.

"Is she alright?" the Queen asked, instantly snapping him out of his thoughts. A hint of concern was in her voice.  
"Yes-she's okay. I just, uh...I-I wanted to ask for your blessing. I-" he broke off. No, he wouldn't tell them about the refused proposal. They didn't need to know he'd gone behind their backs. "I..want to propose...sometime."  
The Queen smiled as she gathered a sheaf of papers and headed for the door.  
"Don't rip him limb from limb, dearest," she called over her shoulder.  
Eugene choked. The blood drained from his face, and his entrails ran cold.  
The King chuckled. While he loved Eugene like he would a son, he did enjoy putting a little fear into him - kept him honest. "Take a seat." When the young man managed to find the chair via bumping his heels against a leg of it and fumbling to find the seat (never taking an eye off of the King), he continued. "It's only been six months since she came home. I'd ask you to give her some more time."  
"I know, sir." he cleared his throat. He couldn't look him in the eye. Oh, FINE. No secrets or lies. He had to remind himself that he had given up that life months ago. "I, uh...I asked her the other day. She, ah, she refused, of course."

The King's face darkened. Eugene's insides quaked like Jell-o, and he felt that the sandwich he'd had for lunch was going to come back for revenge. "Well, while I'm definitely not happy that you went behind my-our-backs, I'll give you a pardon from hanging because she turned you down."  
"I-I, ah,-I ap-pologize, sir. It won't happen a-again," he stuttered, his voice cracking.  
"I think you already know what I'm going to say, but I'm going to continue anyway. Don't go behind our backs with her. Ever. You do realize it's a really poor choice to not ask a lady's parents before proposing, correct? Let alone if her parents are the King and Queen."  
Eugene had never proposed before, but of course he knew. "Yes, sir."  
"And you will _not _rush or pressure her, understood?"  
"Yes, sir. I would never force her into anything."  
"Good. Also, if she so chooses, she can still marry a prince instead. Once more, you must accept her decision."  
"Yes, sir," his stomach knotted painfully at the thought of losing her, but he nodded.  
"Aside from that, yes. You have our blessing to ask for her hand in marriage. So long as you obey us, honor her, and honor the choices that she makes, of course. We knew you'd be asking sometime soon."  
Eugene's eyes widened. At the rate that _that_ conversation had been going, he'd expected a 'you can pack your things and leave, you cretin' instead. "I-I, uh...thank you, sir!"  
"James..." he reminded him patiently, letting Eugene know that he didn't need to be so nervous and stiff around him. "Now, I assume you'll need a ring-"  
"I...already bought one. _Bought_," he repeated when the older man eyed him warily. Suddenly self-conscious about his choice in rings, he nervously pulled it from his pocket and held it up for him to examine. "I know it isn't huge and extravagant, but..."  
The King studied the tiny, clear stone before handing it back to Eugene. "But it's Rapunzel," he finished.  
Eugene nodded, chuckling. "I figured if I'd try to give her some huge thing, she'd complain about it being too flashy."  
The King laughed, agreeing. "The girl's something."  
"That she is," Eugene shook his head, pocketing the ring once more. "But I wouldn't want her to be any other way."  
The King nodded in agreement once more. "Now, you'd better go see what she, Emilie, and that chameleon are up to. I don't like the idea that those three are running amok. Last time that happened, they both came back sopping wet and cold, having rescued Pascal from the river. I still haven't figured out how that happened," he reminded him.  
Eugene's eyes widened. Those girls were dangerous enough together, but adding Pascal into the mix? He took off out the door.


	8. Chapter 8: Christmas

"E-e-u_-gene_," the impatient voice came from the door.  
The man causing the princess's irritation rolled over in bed, pressing his pillow over his head in an attempt to go back to sleep. The impatient girl had called his name three times already. He heard his door open, and about a milisecond later, a heavy weight landed full-force across his stomach. He kept a grunt of surprise to himself. The weight moved around until it was more evenly distributed across his gut, and then two slim hands gripped his shoulders, shaking them. At this point, he was ignoring her simply to tease her. She then yanked the pillow off of his face and proceeded to hit him with it.  
"Hey-_hey! _I'm up, I'm up!" he exclaimed, trying to block the killer pillow. It landed squarely across his nose, and then he managed to take it out of her grip and toss it across the room. "Geez, is the castle on fire or something?!"  
"Eugene!" she huffed. "It's Christmas morning! C'mon!"  
"You're supposed to jump on your parents like this on Christmas morning, not your beau!" he told her, gesturing to how she was still straddling him.  
A bundle of awkwardness, limbs, and energy, she tumbled off and somehow managed to land on her feet beside the bed. "I did that already - woke them,"  
He laughed. "Of course you did. Now, scram so I can get dressed."  
She stared at him with mistrust. "If you aren't out in five minutes-"  
"I've got to get dressed, Blondie! Yeesh," he stood out of bed himself and stretched. When he was done, he directed her to the door and guided her out. "After all we've been through together, and you don't trust me? Ouch." he added teasingly, shutting the door before she could react. Her giggles penetrated the thick door as he dressed hurriedly.

About three minutes later, they were in the dining hall. Her parents were waiting, and they greeted them before sitting down across from them.  
Rapunzel was a bundle of energy and excitement, smiling ear-to-ear. She'd never celebrated any holidays when she had been with Gothel, and she embraced each and every one of them with equal enthusiasm.  
Eugene hadn't been amused when she had woken him at six in the morning on Thanksgiving day.

"Well, someone's not excited," the Queen commented teasingly, smiling at her daughter.  
"I've never celebrated Christmas before!" she exclaimed in return.  
Eugene overlapped with a teasing comment. "Yeah, I heard you guys got woken up in the abrupt, rude manner that I-"  
She twisted in her seat to give him a _look_. "Well, if you would've gotten up when I called you the first or second time..."  
"You nearly murdered me! You came down on me like a-a...a sack of hammers or something!"  
"I did not! I was very graceful!"  
"Says the now-tender spot across my stomach," Eugene joked.  
She punched his arm playfully, and he returned with a shove. They immediately straightened when they heard the maid come bustling in. She filled their plates with eggs and pancakes; a tub of freshly made butter and a small pitcher of maple syrup in the center of the four of them. Their cups were filled with steaming hot tea, and then the maid left. As soon as the door closed, their play-bickering resumed.  
"You coulda warned me, y'know. I didn't get the official letter stating that I would be woken abruptly at six in the morning by a crazed brunette bouncing up and down on me." he shoveled in a piece of egg white and watched her reaction.  
She tsked her tongue and elbowed him. She'd never admit it, but she loved his teasing. "Oh, hush! Next time I'll make sure to let you know in advance. It's not like it's any earlier than we usually get up!"  
"Oh, so you're telling me to-hey!" he yelped. She had slipped her fork over to his plate, stabbing a small slice of pancake and stealing it from his plate. She giggled, but then he stuck his finger in a small pool of syrup that was on his plate, dabbing it on her nose.  
Her parents shared an amused, indulgent smile before they turned to resume watching the scene in front of them. The girl rubbed at her nose with her napkin, and once she had gotten the sticky residue off-for the most part-, she gave him a playful shove.

The teasing lasted, for the most part, throughout breakfast. They somehow managed to settle down shortly before the foursome went into the parlor, surrounding the Christmas tree that was smack in the center of it.  
As Rapunzel sat with her parents and Eugene on the floor in front of the great tree, she gazed up at it. She'd never known that you could keep a tree inside - although, according to the pine needles scattered across the purple tree skirt, it was dying - and it intrigued her. She studied the ornaments she'd helped her mother adorn the tree with just a few days ago. They ranged from pine cones and hard, sweet smelling candy canes to handmade clay ornaments that Rapunzel had made herself.  
"Hey. Earth to Blondie,"  
Eugene waved his hand back and forth in front of her face, snapping her out of her thoughts.  
"O-oh!" she gasped, gulping and looking at him. "Sorry. I was-"  
"Taking it all in?" he finished, a knowing smile lifting the corners of his mouth.  
She grinned sheepishly. "Yes."  
"You can take it in all you want, dearest. It _is _your first Christmas, after all!" her mother smiled, and Rapunzel finally noticed the small parcel she held out to her daughter.  
She took it awkwardly before slowly unwrapping the brown paper from the small box.

Inside was a necklace. She pulled it out of the box and looked at it, her wide green eyes shining and taking in every detail.  
"I saw it and just had to get it for you. I thought you might like the flowers," her mother scooted over to point out the tiny flowers.  
Silver chain connected to a small sterling silver piece at the center; leaves intertwined with flowers, and small gems of amethyst were placed in the centers of the flowers.  
"Oh, I love it," she smiled. "Thank you!"  
Her mother nodded and accepted the hug her daughter pulled her into, wrapping her arms around her daughter for a moment before pulling away. "Now, let's see how it looks on you!"  
Rapunzel had never worn a necklace. The thought occurred to her that it might be heavy around her neck. But she allowed her mother to take it and twisted her back towards her, letting her fasten it around her neck. It was surprisingly light on her neck, the small centerpiece dangling just past her collarbone. The metal constantly bumped against her, reminding her that it was there and quite unusual; because of it, she constantly fingered it.

Her father was quite insistent that she open his thick, heavy package next. It was, of course, a very thick book of fairytales. It was at least a thousand pages long, and as you can imagine, Rapunzel was beyond ecstatic. She hurried to hug him excitedly; his only request was that she allow him to read a story aloud to her - something he had never done with her as a child. As soon as she left go of him, she stood up and seemed to remember something, a smile spreading across her face.  
"I'll be right back - I have to get you guys' gifts!"  
With that, she tore off. Eugene looked towards her parents, shrugging and chuckling at her behavior.

Moments later, she returned, bringing two huge and awkward canvases out. She struggled with the one thick frame, so Eugene strode over to help her carry it over to the tree.  
"Thank you," she puffed gratefully before turning towards her parents. "I only made one for both of you," she added, turning the big clumsy canvas around. She'd worked extraordinarily hard to make a realistic painting; of course, it still held quite a few of her signature-childish painting techniques, but it was unique. It was a family portrait - including the King, Queen, herself, and Eugene. It had never even occurred to her to exclude the ex-thief from the painting.

Her mother gasped, and the both of them stood up to examine the painting.  
"It's beautiful, dear! Thank you. We'll have it hung - right in here, won't we, James?" the Queen immediately gestured towards a blank space on a wall, moving towards it to try to decide if it was large enough.

Rapunzel smiled, but then turned to Eugene, holding up the smaller canvas. "I wasn't sure what to make or get you," she added shyly.  
He took it - a painting just large enough for him to hang in his room - and saw it was a painting of their boat ride on her eighteenth birthday. It was done in the same simple, half-realistic style that her parents' piece had been created with. He tried to think of something snarky to say to cover up the fact that he was touched by the painting. It was the first time since he was five that he had celebrated Christmas with a family, and the day before the girl's eighteenth birthday celebration had been the first time in almost ten years that he'd made mention of his true name.  
"You, ah...look at that. You even got my nose right," he teased hurriedly. He knew if he'd linger too long on this, he'd be a blubbering mess and remembering his early childhood. He set it gently aside...wrong move.  
"If you don't like it, you can just say so," she pointed out. "I knew it'd be kind of a fifty-fifty thing."  
He met her eyes and saw the genuine worry in them: she thought he didn't like it. He shook his head. "No. I love it, actually, and it'll be going up in my room as soon as I can find a hammer and nail. It's just been a long time since I've celebrated Christmas with a family, and-you know. I didn't want to start crying like a baby."  
She grinned, quickly slipping her arms around him. "You try to act all tough, but you're just a big soft marshmallow. You know that?"  
He laughed. "Am I as sweet as one, too?" The girl pretended to think for a minute, and he acted insulted. "Well, gee-maybe I should just get rid of the gift I made for you..."  
She laughed. "Oh, you know I think you're sweet. And you didn't have to get me anything,"  
"I didn't," he said - just to see the mild confusion across her face. He pulled away and reached under the tree, pulling a box out from under it.  
"I thought you might need another box to hold your painting supplies in. It isn't much, but-"  
She shook her head, letting her fingers stroke across the intricate carving across the wooden box. Tiny lanterns trailed across the box, and the edge of the bottom was carved with a small stream of hair. She smiled. "Isn't much? This is beautiful! Thank you so much." She set it aside and threw her arms around him again, giving him a quick hug.  
He chuckled. "Plus, there are a few brushes in here - yours were looking a little tattered. I only ask that you let me watch you use those new brushes at least once."

She nodded eagerly, but then her father butted in, nudging a small package Eugene's way.  
"Sir, I couldn't - I'm not..." he trailed off, surprised. How could he be getting a Christmas gift, of all things, from the same man who, months before, had ordered an execution for him?  
He chuckled. "Would you just call me James? Calling someone sir when receiving a gift seems odd."  
Eugene awkwardly accepted the gift and took the paper from it; it was a book.  
"I saw it when I was at the bookshop looking for Rapunzel's book, and it was by the same author as _The Tales of Flynnigan Rider_. Thought you could at least try it."  
"Thank you," he said, coming out of his shock and into to his senses. 

The day was spent enjoying each others' company, a rare treat in the world of ruling a kingdom.  
When it came time to go to bed, Rapunzel was still so wound from the day that she couldn't go to sleep. Plus, she wanted to get started on the book her father had given her. So she sat down in the library with Pascal and a candle, curling up on the big, overstuffed chair in one of the corners. She was completely absorbed in the book, so she hardly heard Eugene come in when he did.  
"You've got the same idea that I do, I guess," he chuckled, holding up his new book.  
Her eyes shot up to look at him, a small gasp escaping her lips. "Oh! Sorry, I was so into this book..."  
He chuckled. "That's fine. Good book, I take it?"  
She nodded eagerly. "Oh, yes! Daring swordfights, a prince in disguise..the first fairytale is amazing."  
He grinned. "It sounds good. Mind if I sit?"  
"Not at all!" she exclaimed, unfurling her legs and letting him have some room on the chair. He sat and held one arm out, letting her nestle up against his side.  
He caught the absentminded smile that curled the corners of her lips, so he gave her shoulder a squeeze, opening his own book with one hand. Pascal moved from the princess's lap onto his own, and they both read until their eyes crossed and Rapunzel fell asleep.  
From there, Eugene carried the princess-and her chameleon-to her bedroom, tucking them both under the thick blankets before heading back to the library, retrieving the candle before going to his own room.


	9. Chapter 9: Do You Wanna Build a Snowman?

One Sunday afternoon in the middle of January, Eugene waited impatiently for the young girl to finish tea with Denmark's King and Queen. The second she was free, he pulled her aside.  
"I see plenty of snow on the ground and a girl who needs to learn the art of snowmen," he said as soon as she left the meeting parlor.  
Her green eyes lit up with excitement. "Really?"  
"Yep. C'mon, we're burning daylight," he told her teasingly. She grabbed his hand, dragging him to the private entrance of the castle. They quickly dressed for the snow and bolted outside.

Rapunzel paused a moment, looking around the courtyard. It was blanketed under nearly a foot of fresh, heavy snow that crunched under her leather boots. Eugene motioned her over to where he was kneeling in the snow, and she plopped down beside him, the cold snow soaking through her thick green skirt. She watched him pack a small mound of snow into a ball, and then helped him roll it into a huge, heavy ball.

He stepped back, instructing her on how to create the middle and top sections herself. He found some dead twigs and two small stones, showing her how to stick them into the snow to create eyes and arms. When that one was done, she eagerly made another.  
After she was done with that, she stepped back to admire her work.

"It's official, you're a professional snowman builder now," Eugene joked. She studied the two snowmen closely, appreciating her work, and Eugene seized the opportunity.  
Within a moment, Rapunzel felt a cold, hard force slam into her back.  
"What was that?!" she asked, whirling around and squeaking in confusion. "Did you see-"  
He laughed. "You want to learn what a snowball fight is?"  
She furrowed her brows in confusion. "Of course, but-"  
"Then make a snowball," he paused, bending to make one of his own, "...and hit me if you can." He pulled his arm back, aiming the freshly-made snowball at her.  
She yelped, jumping to the side as he let the cold ball of snow fly. "Hey!"  
He laughed, holding his arms out and clearly making himself a target. "Well, hit me! Don't hold back."  
"Why would I?" she didn't want to hurt him, and those cold balls of snow _hurt _if you threw them hard enough!  
"It's the whole purpose of the game, Blondie."  
She nibbled her lip, eying him suspiciously as she bent, scooping some snow into her mitten-ed hands and then throwing a loose ball his way. "I don't want to hurt you, though."  
He shook his head, grinning. "You won't. I was an ex-thief, unless you manage to break a bone, you aren't hurting me."  
Her eyes widened, but then she shook her head. It was impossible to break someone's bones with snow. "You couldn't break someone's bones with snow!"  
"Says you. This one time..." he started, and her eyes widened once more, horrified. "No, you can't break someone's bones with a snowball," he laughed.  
She rolled her eyes, irritated that she'd fallen for it, before scooping another and throwing it harder. It hit his shoulder, and he actually _grinned_! This game was weird.  
"Good. Now...it's game on."  
She watched him, zoned out as she still tried to decide exactly how insane this game was. When he threw another ball, he hit her squarely in the gut.  
With a loud squeal, she gaped at him. "Fair warning, Eugene!"  
He held up his hands. "I said game on. All's fair in love and war."  
She gave him a dirty look, making and throwing a harder-packed snowball. He grunted in surprise when it hit him, but he returned fire.

The fight continued, gaining enthusiasm as Rapunzel gained confidence in the odd game. Soon, they were both red-cheeked and out of breath. Eugene wailed one last snowball, and Rapunzel dodged, tripping over her own numb feet and falling into a snow drift.  
Cold bombarded her senses, dumped down the back of her dress, turning her ears cold and biting at her nose.

Eugene's hand appeared in front of said cold nose. She took it, and he helped her up.  
"You okay?" he asked, holding back a laugh.  
"Yes," she nodded, laughing as she dusted the snow off of her skirt. "Thank you."  
He chuckled. "Yup." She reached over, impulsively wrapping her arms around him. "Cold?" he asked, slipping his arms around her - you know, just in case she was cold.  
"Mm...kind of. But thank you."  
"You already said that, Blondie," he teased, and she rolled her eyes.  
"For showing me how to do all this stuff!" she giggled, pulling away. "Can we build one more snowman before going back in?"  
"You mean you still have feeling in your toes? Because I don't."  
"No, but I still want to!" she laughed.  
He grinned. "Alright, I suppose it won't kill me. C'mon." he said, pulling her over to a spot of fresh, untrodden snow.

As they were building the third snowman of the day, the captain of the guards, envelope in hand, ran into the courtyard.  
"Are your parents...ah...available, Princess?"  
She glanced up, curious. "Yes, they're probably in the parlor."  
"Thank you, your highness. Fitzherbert...I'm not even gonna ask," he threw a disturbed glance towards the ex-thief, who was patting snow around the spot where the middle and lower sections of the snowman met.  
"Hey, the girl's never built a snowman before. Keep your thoughts to yourself!" Eugene yelled after him, but he apparently had much bigger fish to fry, because he didn't retaliate. When the captain left, they looked at each other, laughed quietly, and returned to their snowman.

Little did they know what that letter contained.


	10. Chapter 10: We're At War (Part 1)

**A/N: Continuation of the previous chapter. (Chapter 9)**

"Eugene, Rapunzel - the King and Queen request your presence in their meeting room." Conli poked his head into the library door and announced.  
"Okay...?" Rapunzel stood, setting her book carefully down on her chair. Eugene stood as well, and they went to the opposite end of the castle, where the meeting room was at.  
Her parents were bent over a letter - the same letter that the captain of the guards had delivered himself two days ago.  
"Mother?" Rapunzel asked, looking between her parents curiously. "What's wrong?"

Her parents set the letter down and her father took off his spectacles, which he only wore when reading. "Sit, both of you, please." he motioned to the chairs lining the long table. They sat, and her parents did as well.  
"We called you in here to discuss official business with both of you," her mother started, glancing towards her husband.  
"We just got word that two weeks ago, Queen Elinor and King Fergus of clan Dun'Broch, the King and Queen of Scotland, have been murdered at the hands of the kingdom of Al'vae. A trained assassin infiltrated the castle and murdered them. Their seventeen year old daughter, Merida, has taken over rule of the country. Because we are allies with Scotland, she is requesting backup from our militia to form an attack on Al'vae in retaliation. They do not have enough warriors to defend their country."  
Rapunzel gasped. She couldn't imagine what it would feel like to have both of your parents die and be the queen of an entire country at the age of seventeen. She was nineteen and wouldn't be able to do it! "Will our country get attacked as well?"  
"We won't know. You see, with wars, you can't just plan it out. You don't know what the other side is going to do. From now on, if you or Eugene leave the castle, you _will _have two escorts with you, who will protect you at all times. Eugene, your employer will be notified that you will be unable to attend work until after the war."  
"But I can still go to work," he scoffed. "Nobody's gonna mess with me. I'm not royalty."  
"You may as well be. Everyone knows the face of the man who brought our daughter home. The country of Al'vae is not stupid by any means. Neither us nor Scotland are on the best of terms with them due to some cunning trade frauds, among other things. They rival Weselton in their ability to pull the wool over your eyes. A trained assassin could be hired and kill you without you even knowing it was coming. That is how Elinor and Fergus were killed - they came in under the alias of a dignitary from Denmark. Another possibility is that they would follow you back from work and break into the castle, killing you and - or Rapunzel." the King said firmly.  
Eugene swallowed. "Okay. Point made."  
"What about all your meetings and stuff?" Rapunzel asked.  
"We will not be accepting anyone from any other country into ours. Our guards will meet incoming ships and inspect them. The only outsiders we will accept will be Merida and her three brothers," the Queen explained.  
"How many will be deployed?"  
"We have decided and picked out fifty soldiers, who will be shipping out in two days' time. We will see how the war goes, and may send more out if need be." the King said.  
"Who's eligible to go?" Eugene asked. As a kid, he'd always wanted to fight in a war, but now that he had a family of sorts, now that he knew Rapunzel...he was secretly terrified that he'd be sent out.  
"Any able-bodied man." the King said shortly.  
"Will you have to go?" Rapunzel asked her father, not even wondering if Eugene would be sent out.  
"No. I am the commander of any moves, and shipments, anything that is contributed to the war. I send more soldiers out, I give the order to pull them back home. Everything. Because of this, I will stay in the kingdom," the King reassured her.


	11. Chapter 11: A Birthday and a War(Part 2)

The kingdom of Corona was still locked in war with Al'vae. Their men, combined with Scotland's finest warriors, were losing. Al'vae's infantry was playing dirty, taking muskets and other weapons from the citizens to allow them to overpower Corona and Scotland's militia. Corona's supplies were diminishing, and they were limited to little ammunition for their muskets; lances, swords, and hands-on combat. This cost fifteen lives, not including the Scottish warriors' sacrifices. Emilie's father, who had enlisted with the first shipment of men, had been killed.

Three hundred more of Corona's militia, as well as a group of well-trained infantrymen, were set to be sent out three days after Rapunzel's nineteenth birthday. The kingdom was on the hunt for men willing to fight for the country, aiding in avenging Scotland's King and Queen.  
Despite the tense worry about the war that was still raging on, plans were made to celebrate Rapunzel's birthday as usual. The kingdom was excited for this, and it seemed as though it was finally something to look forward to and have fun with. They looked forward to the celebration.  
The kingdom also trusted fully in the King and his renowned strategy skills, knowing that he would lead the country and aid Scotland to the best of his abilities; they would win the war and send Al'vae metaphorically running with its tail tucked between its legs.

But until the war was over and won, the royal family continued to be under extremely close watch. Heightened security was planned for Rapunzel's birthday. A guard was even assigned to watch over the girl as she slept; she _hated _it. She hated having a guard with her at all times. She wanted to be free; free to do as she wanted and go places and spend time with her family and Eugene without having those pesky men watching over her as if something was going to happen any second now. With Eugene's help, she learned how to slip out of her room after the guard fell asleep in the chair by the window; she would often go to the library, read awhile, and fall asleep. Eugene himself managed to evade the guards on multiple occasions, much to the guards' irritation.

* * *

"Wake up, Princess..." Yes, this was almost payback for the girl's rude wake-up calls from Thanksgiving, Christmas, and that one day she'd been extra-excited to go on a walk with him. _Almost_. Eugene cracked the door, relieved to see that the brunette girl was still asleep in her own bed. The guard slept on the chair by the window, his sword balanced across the arms of the chair.  
If that guard snored like that _all the time_, no wonder why Rapunzel might get irritated with his constant presence.  
The princess was sprawled out on her bed, her face buried in her pillow and Pascal beside her head.  
Eugene crept in the room - mentally applauding his stealth skills once more - and leaned down to whisper in her ear.  
"Boo."  
With a jolt, the girl awoke, gasping. She rolled onto her back and tried to grab the pan she kept at her bedside. Finally, she recognized who was leaning over her. Groaning, she rolled over again, burying her face in her overly-poufy pillow. "Don't do that...you scared me!"  
At 'you scared me', the guard awoke, jumping out of his chair and knocking the sword to the ground with a clatter. When the sword clattered to the floor, Rapunzel flew upright in bed, staring with wide-eyed surprise. The guard grabbed his sword and thrust it towards Eugene, holding it with a shaky hand.  
Eugene's hands flew up in the air.  
"Hey, watch it! Calm down!" he stared the guard down until he sighed, sheathing the sword. Eugene let his hands drop to his sides. "You can leave, by the way. I'll protect her if some terrifying beast jumps through her window."  
"Sorry, sir, but-"  
Rapunzel shook her head. "You are relieved of your duties. Thank you," she said, and he gave her a _look_ before leaving the room, leaving the door open. Pascal glared at the guard. She sighed, but reached to swat Eugene's hand with a giggle. "You're awful!"  
"Hey, you've slept in an hour and I've got a day planned for your birthday, Blondie. If you don't want to have a bit of fun for once, that's your fault."  
She rubbed her eyes, yawning. "I was up reading until two."  
"Then we'll just have to take a stop at Attilla's cupcake shop later. Get you hopped up on sugar," he offered, grinning.  
Her green eyes widened, and she grinned. Attilla's shop was her favorite bakery in the entire country, and she loved visiting the thugs, who had recently moved into the kingdom's town square, which was nearby the castle grounds.  
"I'm up. I'll be out in a few. Tell that guard that he doesn't have to come back in - I'd like to dress in peace. Even though I dress behind my dressing-curtain and he doesn't watch, it annoys me." she stood out of bed and stretched. Pascal grumbled and dove under her pillow, wanting to sleep longer. The stinking guard kept _him _up at night, too.  
"Okay. But wait a minute, okay?" Eugene seemed to remember something, turning on his heel and racing from the room.  
"This day just keeps getting weirder and weirder...right, Pascal?" she said, but realized he was asleep once more. That's when she saw the guard coming back, headed for the open door. "Oohhh, no you don't!" she cried, dashing to slam the doors shut.  
When she heard fast-paced clomping coming her way, she braced against the doors, even though she knew she'd be no match in keeping the doors shut against the pesky guard. Something slammed into the doors, knocking her back onto her rear.  
"_OW! _Rapunzel, geez! It's me, open up!" Eugene yelped.  
Gasping, she scrambled to her feet and whipped the doors open.  
"Sorry!" she cried. "Sorry, sorry, sorry. I thought you were the guard!" she grimaced as Eugene strode into the room, one arm loaded with a purple bundle and the other holding his nose delicately.  
He sniffed a few times, rubbing the bridge of his nose delicately. "It's alright. Anyway, ah...happy birthday." he shoved the bundle in the girl's direction, suddenly bashful despite his pain. "I saw it the other day, and..."  
She unfolded the bundle, which turned out to be a dress. She gasped. It was simple; a lavender with silver swirls along the center piece of the skirt. The bodice had silvery cords tying it shut, and it was just perfect. "Oh, _thank you! _Thank you, thank you, thank you so much!" she set it aside and flung her arms around his neck, kissing his cheek.

He grinned, the hug making up for the door to the face. "You're welcome."  
Just like that, she shooed him from the room and quickly dressed, brushing her hair and slipping on the necklace she'd gotten from her mother on Christmas. Grabbing Pascal and plopping him on her shoulder, she raced out the door and headed for the dining hall, the new skirt swishing around her ankles.  
Her parents and Eugene were waiting for her, and Eugene stood up to seat Rapunzel...as did her father.  
"O-oh," the young man cleared his throat. "Sorry-"  
"No," the King shook his head with a chuckle. "Go ahead."  
He nodded, smoothing his black vest before pulling a chair out for Rapunzel. She grinned, sitting down and thanking him when he scooted the chair back under the table.  
The Queen smiled. "Where did you get that dress? It's beautiful!"  
"Eugene gave it to me this morning," she smiled and reached to grasp his hand under the table.  
"Well, that was sweet." she smiled, and the King nodded.  
"You look beautiful, darling girl," he told her, his eyes crinkling into a smile.  
"Thank you," she blushed. After eighteen years of belittlement and insults, she still got embarrassed and didn't quite believe anyone when they complimented her.  
After they ate, Rapunzel and Eugene left - with two annoying guards -, promising to return by five o'clock, far before the lantern ceremony.

As soon as they left the castle, Eugene grinned, disregarding the guards' presence. "You look amazing, by the way."  
"Ohh...you're just saying that," she tucked a lock of hair away from her eyes.  
"No, I'm not," he shook his head, trying to keep from smiling more.  
"Well, thank you," she smiled, grabbing his hand. "Where to first?"  
"Our first stop is to go see the, ah...pub thugs."  
Her pretty eyes lit up. It had been _forever_ since she had visited them last!

They made their way to Attilla's shop, convincing the guards that they could stay outside if they wanted. All of the thugs were gathered there and waiting - just as Eugene had requested of them. They welcomed her and Eugene with robust, rowdy yells, and the small princess waded in amongst the huge men, hugging each and every one of them.

"So, you're not married yet? Gee whiz, what're you waiting for?" the Big Nose thug joshed Eugene.  
"Hey, we will sometime. She's only been out of the tower a year," Eugene said, mildly offended. He shook his head, watching the girl interact with the men.  
Attilla brought a huge batch of cupcakes out, and Rapunzel snagged two, hurrying back to Eugene and offering him one.  
"Thanks," he chuckled, taking it and watching as she ate her own. Before she left to go back to the thugs, he snagged her shoulder, noticing some stray frosting on her face. "You've got, ah-" he motioned awkwardly with his fingers.  
"What?" she quirked a brow, suppressing a laugh.  
"You've-oh, c'mere." he laughed, wiping some pink frosting from above her lip. Holding his frosting-smeared finger up, he showed her what he'd been trying to get her to wipe off. He opened his mouth to say something, but she'd already turned away, planning to give cupcakes to the guards outside. The second she came back in, he tried to get her attention, but his call was drowned out by Hook-Hand's louder yell.  
He shook his head again. How could he be jealous of the thugs? He considered the cupcake in his hand and bit it with vengeance - as if it was the cupcake's fault she was stranding him at the shop for the rough, rowdy men that she somehow adored.

At around two in the afternoon, they left to walk the town some more, and much to the guards' disgust, Rapunzel struck up a lively dance in the town square, just as she had a year before. Only this time, she made sure she got to dance with Eugene some.

At five, they raced back to the castle, losing sight of the guards. They tore into the dining hall, ten minutes late for dinner. Rapunzel left a tired Pascal in her room, and then they ate her favorite dinner - hazelnut soup - before her parents presented her with some new paints and art materials. Her eyes glimmered with excitement, and she couldn't wait to put them to good use.  
Straight afterwards, they went to the balcony outside of the castle, with four guards watching out for them. A single lantern awaited, tethered to the stone railing.  
The King and Queen took their places, motioning for their daughter to stand between them. A loud, clamoring roar rose from the crowd. Rapunzel lifted the lantern gently up, releasing it into the evening sky. She watched it, awestruck once more. Her parents each put an arm around her, and the little family was silent. Eugene stood by the door, watching. A familiar pang filled his stomach, the one that came every time he saw Rapunzel with her family. He longed for his own family - his parents.  
Almost as if she knew, Rapunzel soon pulled away from her parents and led Eugene over to the edge of the balcony so they could watch the villagers send their lanterns into the sky, and he finally wasn't left out.  
"Thank you, all of you, for the wonderful birthday," she smiled, hugging both of her parents before returning to Eugene's side. "It was the second-best birthday _ever_, despite the guards. The best birthday ever was last year, even though you kind of left me and I thought you betrayed me, and...you know." she laughed, turning to Eugene.  
"Oh...your first birthday with us, and you're nineteen," her mother's eyes filled with tears, mourning the years lost.  
"But I'm back now," she grinned. "Because of him!"  
"Hey, you figured it out on your own. I had no clue you were the princess," he shook his head.  
"But you took me out of there and showed me the lanterns," she pointed out, slipping under his arm. _Finally._  
He didn't hide his smile as he pulled her snug up against him. A few moments of silence passed, and he sighed nervously. Now or never.  
Her parents knew his plan, he couldn't chicken out. "Rapunzel?"  
"Hm?" she pulled away, obviously shaken out of a daydream of some sort. She met his eyes with a curious smile.  
"Well...we've known each other for a year. I love you more and more with each day, and you're everything to me. Would you be...uh..interested in taking this ring off my hands?"  
She froze, her gorgeous eyes wide as panic set in. He knelt in front of her, pulling the ring from his pocket.  
"I-I..." she gulped. Yes, she wanted to marry him, but she was scared. And the country was at war, and she didn't want to have a celebration _now_, it just didn't seem right, and..."No. I'm...I'm sorry."

He nodded, swallowing his disappointment as he pocketed the ring. Her parents exchanged surprised glances. "It's okay. I shouldn't-"  
"No, Eugene, it's just that the country's at war and it doesn't seem right to be celebrating a marriage when the war's going on, and I'm...I'm just not ready yet. I'm scared," she whispered the last part, worried he'd be mad at her.  
He stood, taking her hands in his. "It's fine. I'll wait for you, I think you know that already."  
"I _do _want to marry you, I promise. I'm just not ready," she reiterated.  
"Well, I'll be here when you're ready, and I'll ask you the second this war's over," he winked, trying to lighten the mood. She smiled, relieved he wasn't mad. She grabbed him up into a hug, but then they went to sit with her parents, watching the lanterns until she fell asleep, her head in her mother's lap.


	12. Chapter 12: His Departure (Part 3)

"Sir?" The young man strode into the King's meeting office, more than slightly concerned. What had he done _now_?  
"Take a seat, please," the older man nodded, and Eugene sat, never letting his eyes leave the King's pale blue ones. He couldn't read the expression on his wrinkled face.  
"What's going on?" he asked finally.  
He took a deep breath, as though he didn't want to say what he was going to say. Oh, this must be bad. "Eugene, much as I hate to say this, you must go to the war. The captain of the guards has fallen ill, and is unable to be deployed. You must take his place."  
_Must_. No ifs, ands, or buts? Fantastic.  
"When...when do I leave?" he was hoping he'd leave sometime _after _the ship of men set to leave in two days.  
"With the ship in two days. You're good to go. You'll be given a crash course on the ship and be part of the infantry. It's more involved with strategies and communications, so you'll not be in the field as much as the militia and other parts of the infantry. The captain's right-hand man. You're smart and that position will keep you a little safer."  
Eugene thought he was going to pass out. Maybe if he did, he'd get lucky and smash his head off of the desk in a face-plant, injuring himself so he couldn't go, either.  
"There's no way around this?"  
"No. I apologize, and I do feel terrible for the short notice, but it has to be done."  
He rose from his chair, but Eugene felt glued to the spot, terror seeping into his bones. But another thought crept into his mind, twisting his stomach into a knot. "Rapunzel..."  
"I know. Don't worry, I am sure you will come back safely. Your deployment will be six months long, and you will come back with the others unless something happens. Remember, fighting will help to keep her safe. Al'vae has been making threats to attack Corona," he said, nearly wheedling.  
He nodded, gulping. He did have a point.  
"But do _not_ tell her - she mustn't be worried-:  
"Tell who what?" Rapunzel's voice came from the doorway.

Both men turned to see her, and Eugene stood up out of his chair even though he felt like his knees wouldn't hold his weight. He couldn't leave her. But...he'd go to the ends of the earth to keep her safe.

"What's going on?" she asked, looking between her father and her beau.  
"Nothing, dearest-"  
"Tell her. She has to know, sir. I won't let you just make something up-"  
"Eugene." the girl's father said sharply, giving him a venomous glance.  
"He's...you're going to war, aren't you?" she barely whispered it, and her voice cracked as her eyes widened and she realized what was going on.  
The King sighed, explaining the reason why he was sending Eugene in.  
She teared up, clapping a hand to her mouth. She'd heard the reports. They weren't doing well. More and more men were dying out there. Al'vae's soldiers were flatout blood-lust.  
Her father held his arms out to her, offering a hug, but the gesture immediately reminded her of Gothel - how she'd always had to go to her for a hug, and she turned away from him. Eugene was the only one who understood her aversion to the gesture, and immediately strode up to her, grabbing her up in his arms. She buried her face into his chest.  
"Do you have to go?"  
"Mhm...trust me, if I could stay with you, I would." he rubbed her back gently. "But keeping you safe is more important than anything else, and you know what they've been telling us."  
She looked up at him, her green eyes filled with dread. "When do you go?"  
"In two days," the King supplied.  
She let out a small cry.  
"Hey. Listen, Blondie-" he tried to lighten the mood, but it backfired.  
"Don't call me that!"  
He sighed. "Don't worry, okay? I'll come back. You'll hardly even notice I'm gone, I bet!"  
"I bet I will," she threw back. Pulling away, she turned to her father. "Please, Father. Don't make him go. _Please_! He-"  
"This was a last resort. I'm sorry, dear."  
"It's not like it's a death sentence, Rapunzel. I'll come back."  
"That's what twenty of our own soldiers thought, too! That's what Emilie's father told her. Right. Before. He. Left." she said pointedly and harshly, but her malice was not directed at Eugene. Her father made all the decisions in the war. He'd made this decision, and it would kill Eugene.  
"You can't worry about something you can't control," Eugene put a hand on her shoulder, but tears spilled out of her eyes, and she fled the room. He gave the King a look to let him know that he didn't appreciate all this, but then tried to rush after her.  
"Let her go. She needs to cool off."  
He shook his head. He couldn't let that girl cry alone in her room. But the King grabbed his sleeve and stared him down until he backed down.

* * *

The night before Eugene's departure was a restless one.  
Things had been tense between Rapunzel and her father, and her father's constant reassurances that it was 'the best for the kingdom' didn't help her frame of mind. She _hated _that excuse.

Rapunzel couldn't sleep. She was so scared for him. The minutes drug by as if they too were trying to stretch their final hours together out. She finally woke Pascal - who hadn't been sleeping either, due to Rapunzel's tossing and turning - and held him in the palm of her hand, watching his barely-visible chameleon face.  
"What are we going to do, Pascal? He's going away in just a few hours, and I don't have a good feeling about this. But I can't do anything about it, and it's...it's all my fault! If we would've married, he'd be a prince consort, and he wouldn't be able to go out there. And-" she broke her stream of words when a knock sounded at the door. "Come in?" she wondered who else was up at this hour - three AM.  
Eugene, of course. "I heard you talking to that frog," he teased, hoping to get her to smile, "and thought you could use some company." She nodded, not taking the bait to correct him. She just scooted over, threw her legs over the edge of her bed, and patted the spot beside her. He moved over to the bed, setting his candle down on the beside table. "Why're you up?"  
"Why are _you_?" she asked pointedly.  
"Touche," he sighed. "But I don't want you to worry about me, okay? Leave the worrying to me."  
"Huh-uh. First off, you're gonna have to concentrate on strategies and keeping yourself and the others alive, so you can't distract yourself with worry. I should be the one telling _you _not to worry!"  
"Well, you're just scared to lose someone you love. I understand it. C'mon, talk to me - it'll do us both good."  
"I'm just scared I'll lose you again," she mumbled, ashamed to admit her own fears. "I can't even heal you..."  
He put a hand on her shoulder. "Don't think about that. Don't stop being your hopeful, optimistic self now, okay? This is when you really need to be that way." She nodded and put a hand over his. Suddenly, his calm expression slipped. "Flynn Rider would've never been so scared. You see, when I was a kid...I always wanted to fight in a war. Of course, I didn't know what went on - I just knew that there were swords and a lot of people celebrated when they said it was over, so I wanted to be part of that. But then again...I had nothing to lose then." he admitted quietly. She gave him an empathetic gaze before wordlessly pulling him into a hug.  
"I'm so sorry...it's all my fault. If we would've gotten married..."  
"No, it isn't your fault, and don't you dare think for a moment that it is. I won't hold you accountable, so you shouldn't hold yourself accountable."  
She bit her lip, hugging him tighter. "Okay. And don't you be too scared. Everything will be okay, and...and when you come home, you'll be a prince consort. I promise."  
"Is that a promise that you'll marry me soon?" he teased.  
"Yes. I'm sorry, I just wasn't ready-"  
"It's fine. I said I'd wait. It'll give me something to look forward to when I'm over there," he grinned, but then pulled away and kissed her cheek . "I should let you get to sleep."  
"Wake me when you get up, okay? I want to see you off."  
The man shook his head. "We're leaving in around three hours. You need to sleep so you-"  
"Absolutely _not!_" she said firmly, shaking her head.  
He chuckled. "Okay."  
He left the room, but Rapunzel soon got up and went to the library, where she just knew he was at.  
"Hey. Mind if I stay with you?" He swung around, surprised by her voice, and her face blazed red. "I just want to spend as much time as possible with you."  
"I'd like that," he grinned, turning back and pulling a book off of the shelf.  
She nodded, trying to see the title of the book. "Are you reading-"  
"_Flynnigan Rider_? Yup." he finished for her, sitting on the floor. Rapunzel did, too, and they both read until the King came into the library to get Eugene.

At the dock, the clamoring crowd of over three hundred men, all with their families, was nearly deafening. Rapunzel stuck close to Eugene's and her father's sides. Women and children were crying, hugging men in uniforms similar to Eugene's. One woman was sobbing uncontrollably, wailing that she'd already lost her father and brother to the war; she couldn't lose her husband, too. She clutched her rounded belly; she was obviously with child.  
When it was time for Eugene to board, Rapunzel grabbed him in a tight hug, burying her face into his chest and drinking in his familiar scent. He buried his face in her shoulder, whispering to her. His warm breath puffed against the skin of her neck, and she shivered away. "It'll be fine, sweetheart."  
She caught her breath. He'd never called her anything except Rapunzel or Blondie. She nodded, gulping. "I know. You'll be okay. I love you. I love you so much."  
He looked about ready to cry - as did the majority of the soldiers surrounding him as they all said goodbye to their families. "I love you too. I'll be back before you know it."  
"And I'll be waiting. Stay safe, okay?"  
"I will. Same to you," he smiled and bent to kiss her.  
A loud yell came over the crowd, announcing for all of the soldiers to line up and board. They pulled away, and she gave him one last, tight hug before he left.  
He turned back and waved to her and the King; she returned it and blew a kiss in his direction before he disappeared in the sea of uniformed men.  
The wailing woman from earlier appeared at Rapunzel's side and collapsed to her knees, sobbing as she watched who must have been her husband leave. Rapunzel knelt beside her. "It'll be okay." The woman didn't realize who was comforting her.  
"I've lost everyone already. I can't lose him. I _can't_!" she cried. Her face was red, and closer up, she seemed to be younger than Rapunzel. "Our first baby has to see its father! It's the only other family it'll have!"  
"I'm sorry," she said quietly, swallowing to try to rid the lump in her throat. "You've just got to hope for the best and...and take care of yourself and that baby. How far along are you?"  
"Six months," she choked. "It'll be born before he's back. I ca-can't...lose him!"  
"I know." she put her arms loosely around the woman and let her cry on her shoulder.


	13. Chapter 13: The Orphanage (Part 4)

**A/N: Thank you once more for the continued support for the story. I appreciate all the notes, follows, and favorites! This chapter was suggested by silviatangled.  
**

* * *

Two months passed without much gain - but there wasn't any loss, either. Rapunzel yearned for Eugene, and hadn't been quite herself since he left. She was just so worried about him. She was lonely despite Pascal. She was never alone, but she always _felt_ alone, even if she was surrounded by the castle workers. She took to helping the chef in the kitchen, although he didn't necessarily appreciate her company. Her princess training was finished, and she hardly saw either of her parents after her last lesson. They were always busy, mostly with things pertaining to the war.

But one particularly sunny day close to the end of August, her mother pulled her aside.  
"I found the orphanage Eugene spent his childhood in; we're going to volunteer there today."  
Rapunzel's eyes widened with surprise and excitement. But then she bit her lip. "We won't go with guards, will we? They'll scare the kids."  
Her mother shook her head. "We can't risk-"  
"I'm so sick of this!" she cried. "Will someone _really_ kill us when we're en route to an _orphanage_?" After her outburst, she formed an idea.

Twenty minutes later, the Queen and her daughter slipped out of the castle's public entrance, in their shabbiest dresses and old cloaks that covered their faces. They carried books and made their way to the orphanage at a quick pace.

When they reached the small, shabby building, Rapunzel eagerly pushed open the wooden door.  
Kids were screaming, crying, yelling; running, throwing things, chasing one another in play. Babies wailed from cribs, which were pushed into one corner.  
A young, frazzled brunette raced over to them. "We are _not _accepting any more babies!" she yelled, trying to push Rapunzel outside.  
Alarmed, she glanced down at her midsection. "I'm not-" she slipped her hands from her cloak, which held several books and had created a bulge. "We're here to visit, to read to them!"  
As she said it, the Queen pulled their hoods off.  
The woman gasped. "I am so sorry, your-"  
"It's fine," Rapunzel was far more forgiving, smiling and stepping inside. The young woman moved hurriedly to the center of the large room, loosing a shrieking whistle to catch the children's attention to explain their visitors. They rarely ever got visitors willing to just spend time with them; their eyes widened with excitement and soon, both of the women had children piling around them, clamoring for the best seat. Rapunzel pulled a small, red-haired boy onto her lap and opened her book, waiting for the children around her to quiet down before she spoke up. Seven faces, smudged with dirt, watched her intently, their eyes shining with excitement.  
"These are the tales of Flynnigan Rider. He's the richest man alive, a swashbuckling rogue, and the ladies adore him; but once upon a time, he was not so lucky. This is his rags-to-riches story, which begins in a small cabin in a faraway land..."

Rapunzel left the orphanage changed. Every chance she got afterwards, she slipped away to help at the orphanage. She read, played, and let Pascal entertain the children. She held and fed the babies, kissing their round cheeks and soothing their red-faced sobs. She helped clean and bake and taught the girls how to braid hair. She tried to imagine what kind of a child Eugene had been. Most of all, she enjoyed helping at the orphanage because she wasn't alone. These kids appreciated her, and soon began to greet her at the door, asking what she was going to do with them today. Her mother accompanied her, but only when possible.

In September - halfway through Eugene's deployment - she finally wrote to him. It was a short letter, but it was all she could think of to tell him at the time.  
_  
Eugene,  
I'm sorry for never writing until now. I simply cannot wait for you to come home - I'm counting down the days! I love you so much, and hope you know it. Everything is okay on the home front. How are things going there? I hope this letter finds you in good health. Even Pascal misses you! While you're away, I've been helping at the orphanage. You'll have to come with me sometime when you get home - those kids are so sweet. I'm praying you get home in time for Christmas - I pray every day for you, actually. I love you more than anything in the entire universe, and I just really hope you're okay. I wanted to send over a copy of your favorite book, but I thought you might not have the time to read it; plus, when I got the chance to ask Father about it, he said we were unable to send parcels into the infantry post. Anyway...hugs and kisses waiting for you, and I hope to hear back from you.  
With love, Rapunzel._

She sent it to the infantry's latest post address, with a kiss and a prayer that it found him safe.


	14. Chapter 14: Taken Prisoner (Part 5)

Eugene muddled through his daily drills. The shoves, impatient yells, and arguments thrown on him by older, more experienced soldiers eventually turned into planning the infantry and militia's next moves, based on the king of Corona's plan of action, which was supported by Queen Merida. He'd gotten thrown into the role of captain of the infantry nearly by accident - but the countries started gaining ground in Al'vae after he took over, he wasn't gonna lie.  
But regardless of his beginner's luck, he still couldn't get his mind off of Rapunzel. He always hoped for some word from her, but it never came, and that worried him. Had she gone back on her word; was she courting some rich prince who didn't have to lift a finger in this war?  
The letters to the soldiers were delivered weekly, but it wasn't until the middle of October that he received a letter from her.

The men under his command, of course, joshed him for being a hopeless romantic - as if they were all tough guys! Far from it. No matter how tough they tried to seem, they all secretly hoped for word from home.  
_Home. _Eugene had never put much stock into the word, but he'd learned that home wasn't a place, but instead the people you loved.

He had to fight Sebastian and Lee, two rowdy and teasing men, off in order to read his letter in peace. It was short, but he appreciated it anyway. He tore through the words written neatly across the paper, his eyes filled with satisfaction. After re-reading it - twice - , lying on his back on his cot, he put it up to his nose, hoping it smelled like her. It didn't. Sighing, he resumed staring at the paper, tracing his finger over her delicately-written signature.  
Sebastian thunked him upside the head with his helmet.  
"Stop lookin' so down and write back to her. You'll be home soon, cap."  
He nodded. "Did you hear from your wife?"  
"O' course. She never misses a week writing. I just got four letters - the month of September," he grinned toothily before leaving Eugene in peace. The young man curled up on his side, facing the makeshift tent's side and holding the paper to his face a moment, considering what he wanted to write to his beloved. Things had been going well, yes, but tomorrow was their biggest move.  
They had located the captain of Al'vae's forces, and their next move was to attack. They weren't going to kill him; they were going to capture him.  
It was their riskiest move yet.  
Sighing, Eugene got up and rummaged for some spare paper and ink. He'd write a letter to her and give it to the man who was in charge of getting any special items back to them at the end of the day. If someone...wasn't able to get them back, it would be sent to their family when the letter updating the King of their current position was sent out - which was every Sunday.

The next day, they stocked up on what ammunition they had left, gathered their muskets, swords, daggers, and other weapons.  
Eugene took his place in front of the entire group of soldiers, who were staring back expectantly at him, waiting for his orders. His palms were sweaty. How many of them would make it out today?  
"We're going to stay safe today. Our mission is to capture Boone: nothing more and nothing less. You'll report back to the office at the end of the day, and hopefully, we'll be back home in a month. Now, here's our plan..."

* * *

"...Two...one...go. Go, go, go." Eugene hissed, and the men charged the ramshackle office. His men moved stealthily inside, quickly but quietly. Several of the Scottish warriors, about as bloodthirsty as Al'vae's soldiers themselves, came racing in, pounding their chests and yelling in Gaelic.  
Eugene stopped them. "Hey, hey, hey! You guys know we need to be quiet."  
"Och, but we're gettin' revenge, laddie! Ye know nothin' of prop'r revenge! Out' the way!" a wild-haired man exclaimed, pushing past.  
Eugene grabbed his skinny arm. "Well, laddie, do _you_ want to live? You won't unless you keep with the plan. It's not a threat, it's a fact."  
The man glared for a moment, unwilling to back down. Scotland wanted the opposing captain's head on a plate to deliver to Queen Merida. But then he huffed, motioning to the men crowding behind him, and they settled down from a boiling rage to a slow simmer.  
"Thank you." Eugene nodded them through, and then he went in himself.  
"Well, well. How idiotic are you all? Did you _really_ think we'd be gullible enough to let you all capture me here?" the tall, blond haired captain chuckled. Eugene's eyes widened as he glanced around the building. It was where Al'vae kept their ammunition. The man took a torch from the wall and waved it.

How had he not seen this? It had been too easy. "Men, back off-"  
"No, not unless you want picked off sooner." Boone warned Eugene, pushing past the crowd to go toe-to-toe with Eugene. He was tall, sure, but Boone was even taller. "I've the rest of our militia waiting outside. Fully armed."  
"If I start a riot out there, there's a chance you'll get shot, too." Eugene warned.  
"Maybe, but maybe not." Boone said shortly. "Now, what's your _highness_ going to do? You're out of moves." he taunted him. Eugene clenched his jaw and his fists. Could he knock him out with one hard hit? Or stab him? He fingered the dagger at his side. The other captain chuckled, not even turning when he heard the plethora of swords being unsheathed behind and around him. "I wouldn't. One wrong move and I throw this torch. You know what happens after that. You're not smart, but you all know what happens when you throw fire at ammo."  
Eugene waved his hand, and even the Scottish warriors backed down.  
"It'd take one quick swipe to knock that out of your hand, you do know that, right?" Eugene was considering it himself, but he wanted to know if there would be any terrible consequences first. He _wasn't_ stupid, and could tell when someone had all of the bases covered. He caught a flash of something in the window.  
"My men are positioned everywhere outside, y'know. Some are waiting at the windows. They see me drop the torch, they start firing. They'll tear the place apart, and they'll tear all your men - and Scotland's - up."  
"And what do you want in trade for their lives?" Eugene asked.  
He cocked his head, a sly smile crossing his face to reveal foul, rotten teeth. "You, and five of your best men."

"Why?"  
"Well, a lot of reasons," he turned away, walking back to the front of the building, talking loudly so everyone heard him. "First and foremost, to get all of Corona's secrets. I can't touch Scotland - well, I already did - but you were stupid to ally with and help them. Now you've got to pay the price. You and your men will tell us anything we want to know - don't worry, you _will. _If you do this, all your men will go free, all of Scotland's warriors will go free, and the royal families will be left unharmed."  
"And what if we don't? What if we kill you?"  
"You'll never get out alive. You have no chance to get out alive. Your ammunition is almost gone, and close combat with my men would be deadly. We've all the ammunition in the country; all right here," he waved an arm in a flamboyant gesture, showing off.  
"Who's to say we can't steal-"  
"You can't." he shook his head. "You wouldn't live long enough. And besides, regardless of if I'm dead, if you don't comply, your royal family will be murdered. I've already got it planned out: beheading for all but your princess. Beautiful little lady, isn't she? I've seen her. But no, she'll be tortured - among other things. When she finally breaks, she'll get her heart removed from her chest. But anyway, you're not one for details, are you? No, you know all you need to know. Either you comply or all of these men will be killed, along with the royal family of Corona. I might even plan another attack and obliterate Scotland - kill the rest of that royal family as well."

Eugene was sickened. All of the men backed away uneasily. He glanced around at his men. How could he play this? He'd let his finest men go, of course; in case they would need to fight off the men, given that Boone may not keep his word. As if he knew what Eugene was thinking, Boone chuckled. "I already know who your five best men are, so you'll not screw me over on this one."  
He gulped. "Who's to say I would?"  
"Oh, come on. Is that even a question?" he laughed. "Now, do we have a deal, or not?"  
Eugene looked back to his men. Sebastian nodded, stepping up. So did Lee, Louis, and Fredrick. The young Anderson did as well.  
"Yes," he swallowed. "We do. We have a deal."  
Boone nodded, moving to put the torch back on its hanger on the wall. Motioning through a window, men barged in and took Sebastian, Louis, Lee, Fredrick, Anderson, and Eugene.


	15. Chapter 15: When You're Gone (Part 6)

It was the end of October. Rapunzel still had not heard word back from Eugene, and was only mildly concerned. She knew and accepted that he was probably a busy guy. She herself had been busy lately, and split almost all of her time between the orphanage and helping her parents with some of the smaller duties of the kingdom, so they could focus on the war efforts.

She was engaged in a friendly conversation with the Queen and one of the Princes of Scotland - Queen Merida and one of her five year old brothers, Hamish. She still had no idea how the girl managed to run clan Dun'Broch, let alone be Queen of an entire country, and raise her brothers, when she was just seventeen!  
The redhead was here to share information on the war, of course. They had not heard much back from their soldiers: Merida hadn't heard from her warriors, and the King and Queen of Corona hadn't heard back from their soldiers, either. It was a concern, of course, but the communications took plenty of time to arrive from overseas.

Directly after the plotting for any emergency moves, Merida brought up the topic of seeing a stable just nearby the castle, so the two girls caught up in a lively discussion about equines, a mutual fascination. The King had been called outside of the room to attend to something, so they took no time turning the conversation into something much more lighthearted.

"Rapunzel, darling,"  
"...and so Maximus-" Rapunzel trailed off and turned to see her father in the doorway. He bowed to Merida and Hamish, but cleared his throat when he straightened.  
His blue eyes were unreadable as he stared pensively at his daughter. "Come, please. You may be excused from tea."  
The brunette shot a curious glance to her mother, but the look on her mother's face was dread, not curiosity.  
"I-it was nice meeting you, Merida. And you too, Hamish! You'll make a fine warrior someday!" she bent to ruffle his hair teasingly -to which he glared and batted her hand away- and then she hurried over to her father. "What is it?"  
He silently took her arm and led her into his office, where a thick envelope lay on top of a pile of documents and maps. He wordlessly slipped a letter from it and handed it to her before sinking into his chair and burying his face into his hands.

_October seventeenth  
We have gained a bittersweet victory. We are waiting to hear our next commands from you and Queen Merida of clan Dun'Broch, Queen of Scotland, and then we are hoping to be back in our wonderful kingdom of Corona by the beginning of December. However, the victory was not made without sacrifices. Threats were made to the royal family of Corona: torture, beheading, and other injuries were threatened if the Captain and his best soldiers were not taken Prisoners of War. The Captain accepted the price in order to keep the royal family safe; he and five others are presumed dead after a failed rescue mission. It was only due to the Captain and his men's valor that we won victory over the kingdom of Al'Vae. After the failed rescue mission, the current Captain was in numerous meetings to negotiate terms of peace; another document inside this packet will contain the terms we were able to negotiate with Al'Vae's higher authorities. If you find them acceptable, we shall complete the legal documents in this country and will return home.  
Please notify the families of the following, and give the letters addressed to them:_

_Martin Killian, KIA/deceased_  
_Sebastian Granger, POW/presumed deceased_  
_Lieutenant James Killian, KIA/deceased_  
_Louis Taylor, POW/presumed deceased_  
_Lee Jonathan, POW/presumed deceased_  
_Fredrick Taylor, POW/presumed deceased_  
_Anderson Whittaker, POW/presumed deceased_  
_Captain Eugene Fitzherbert, POW/presumed deceased_  
_Winston Greggs, injuries sustained/deceased_

Rapunzel set the paper down on the table numbly. It couldn't be true. It couldn't be.  
"I-is this true..?" she didn't look up at her father, she couldn't. All she could do was stare at the scrawled name of her beloved.  
"I'm so sorry, my girl. I am so sorry." He stood and drew her into his arms, and she leaned into them, burying her face into his thick, long sleeve. Sobs wracked her body. She couldn't believe it. He was gone. The man who had saved her, the very reason she was standing inside this castle, the man who had shown her what life truly was about...he was gone. The young man, so full of life, teasing, and love...taken away because of some wretched, horrible country.

She heard her mother's heeled shoes clicking into the room. Her father didn't say a word, but she heard her mother pick up the paper, drop it a moment later, and gasp. She felt her mother's hand stroke her hair and then hug her from behind.  
"My precious girl," she said thickly. She sounded as though she was fighting off tears herself. "Oh, my precious girl..."

Hours later, Rapunzel somehow found herself in her room. She couldn't remember much of the entire day. She was still in shock. She was curled in a ball, her face buried into her overly-thick blanket. Pascal, now a depressing shade of blue, was pressed up against the hand she held clutched to her chest. She barely noticed when her mother came into her room and sat on the edge of her bed.  
"His action saved this kingdom, as well as clan Dun'Broch," she said quietly.  
"But why did it have to be this way, Mother? Why couldn't they have planned something else, something that would have brought all the men home instead of them being taken and killed?" She looked up at her mother with swollen eyes.  
"I don't know, dearest," she sighed. "Eugene was somehow made the captain of the army, which he should never have become. I am sure he made the best decision possible. He was smart. He wouldn't have done it if he knew there was another way."

Rapunzel nodded silently. Her mother was right. Her mother scooped her up onto her lap, holding her like she would a child that had just had a nightmare.  
"Sweetie, I'm so sorry. I'm so, so sorry. I wish I could tell you how much I wish this had had a better outcome, but I can't even find the words to express-"  
"It's okay," Rapunzel shook her head, pulling out of her mother's embrace. "I can't...I can't think of anything to say, either."  
"Well...will you come down for supper in a few hours, dear?"  
She nodded, even though she had no intent of doing so. She just wanted to be alone.  
"Okay. Don't be afraid to talk to me, honey. I can help you."  
She nodded again, and her mother left the room.  
The princess curled in a ball. She was numb. She couldn't cry anymore, she couldn't scream, even though the urge to do so seemed stuck in her throat. She wanted to pound her fists against the wall, scream until her throat went raw, cry...something, _anything_, to make herself feel. She hated feeling numb. She couldn't even think straight.  
A couple of hours later - or it could have been _days_, but Rapunzel doubted that -, the King walked slowly into her room, unannounced.  
He sat on the edge of her bed, holding a sheet of paper in his hand. "This was in the envelope for you."  
Her father didn't know what to do for her. She reacted so differently than her mother, who he had comforted for eighteen years after his daughter's disappearance. He longed to comfort her, but he didn't know _how. _  
"Thank you," she bit her lip, taking the paper from him.  
"Would you like me to bring your dinner up to you? It's almost time for supper."  
She shook her head. "No thank you."  
Silence surrounded them, and he stood and left.

She finally glanced down at the paper, disinterested in whatever it was. But then she caught a flash of Eugene's handwriting.  
Gasping, she flattened the paper out and read it.  
_Hey, Blondie. _She gasped, a sharp pain tearing through her. Her eyes somehow found the extra moisture to blur.  
_It's so good to hear from you. I was starting to think you ran off with some rich jerk or something! Not really - but...well, maybe. Things are going fairly well over here, I mean...it's war. I've got quite a few stories to tell you when we get home; I'm sure you'll enjoy them. All funny, of course. These guys are all big moron goofballs...I suppose you could say I'm one, too, though. It's good to hear you're keeping yourself busy - yes, you'll have to let me accompany you to the orphanage. Is it the old one I was in? Mrs. Brigsly runs it? If the old woman's still alive, I'd be amazed, though. But anyway - I hope I'll be home in time for Christmas, too. I don't want to spend it over in this stinking country. But if I don't, maybe we'll have to have a second Christmas when I get back, huh? Would you do that for your handsome thief? _She was sobbing now. She could practically hear him; as if he was sitting beside her telling her these things. _  
__I love you. I can't wait to see you again. I'm counting down the days, too! Remember your promise to marry me after the war's over, okay? I'll remind you if you forgot. I love you so much, and I hope I can get home soon. Tomorrow we're doing this really important thing, so I hope it'll be the end to the war - it will be, if all goes well. I'm sure your dad will let you know when we're coming home.  
Love you more than anything.  
-Eugene._

Correction: maybe it would have been best to not be able to feel at all. She crumpled in on herself, sobbing violently. Pascal bumped against her, and she looked at him.  
"He's...oh...he's _gone_, Pascal, and it's all my fault! It's all my fault, it's all my fault!" she grew louder as the thoughts poured through her mind, drowning her alive. If she hadn't have been so...so _stupid_, he would be here safe and sound, a prince consort. All he had ever wanted was a family, and now he was _dead. _Because of her stupid hesitation! Someone may as well have torn her heart directly from her chest and thrown it out the window. She pressed the heels of her hands into her eyes, choking on her tears and desperately trying to get her thoughts, her memories, _everything _to stop. She wanted to be numb. And yet, she wept, one of her hands pressed to her churning stomach and the other to her mouth. Her chest felt as if it was becoming tighter and tighter, crushing her alive as if a corset had been cinched ever-tighter around her. The hand of sorrow had her in a tight, suffocatingly tight grip.


	16. Chapter 16: Escape (Part 7)

The stupid guardsmen patrolled the small, filthy dungeon in which Eugene and the five others were held.  
"Hey, Seb. What time is it, you think?" Eugene asked quietly, catching the attention of the older soldier, who was asleep.  
He jerked awake, shrugging indifferently to Eugene's question. But then it dawned on him what _today_ was. It was...TODAY.  
"About eleven in the AM."  
"Okay."  
Eugene slipped a piece of charcoal out of his pocket. Of course he'd stolen it-it had rolled practically right into his grasp after they'd spilled a bag full of the stuff, which they'd been using for marking maps. Geez! Finders-keepers. Losers...lose prisoners.  
He wrote in a tiny, scribbling manner on the floor. The men made a barrier of sorts, crouching so the guards couldn't see.  
"Hey! What're you doing?" a short, fat guard yelled, banging on the bars of their cage. The men didn't jump in surprise.  
"Dead mouse. Fresh meat." Anderson, the youngest, who had the least sense of humor, deadpanned. They knew this guard was the queasy sort.  
They heard a gag, and Eugene swallowed a grin.

When the men had taken the captain and his five best men, they hadn't known that he used to be a thief. Yes, taking five of his best men would be good because they might leak information out about Corona, but that also meant that they'd escape. Eugene hadn't met a prison he couldn't escape from. One way or another, he always managed to get out.  
They had been in here for three weeks. It was the eighth day of November, they guessed. And it was go time. They'd figure out the rest later. If they had to swim in the frigid water to get home, they would. Or at least Eugene would be willing to do so.  
In the weeks they'd been held prisoner, they'd been tortured, beaten, whipped...Lee had obtained a small burn, as well. They were given barely any food, but managed to keep their strength up in order to escape. In the time they'd been held there, Eugene had memorized the patterns. The remaining soldiers - fifteen - were used as guardsmen, patrolling the place like disgusting ants. The captain of Al'vae's militia was the one in control of torturing them.  
At approximately eleven-sixteen AM, every day, he came for one of them.

They heard clomping boots, and Eugene nodded to his men. "We can do this," he whispered. "Be brave, men. We'll be home soon."  
He fell down across the charcoal as if he had been sleeping there.  
"Get up, Fitzherbert, lazy piece of flesh." Boone kicked a pebble into the small confinement. Eugene started, moving in such a manner that the charcoal was smeared nicely up off of the floor, leaving just a smudge of dirt across his back. "Take your shirt off. You don't deserve clothing, you fool."  
He nodded, despite the fact that he was already fighting off a bout of some illness. He complied, taking his shirt off.  
"Drop it." Boone held his hand out, stopping Eugene.  
He glanced down at the shirt. He could use this. Improvisation at its finest: he could pull this off. "But those idiots will just wear it. You don't want that, right? I don't."  
Of course he didn't mean any of that. Boone nodded, realizing he was in more control of the fool than he thought.  
"Drop it out here, then. Far enough away that they can't reach out and get it."  
Eugene nodded, shuffling out of the door.  
Before Boone could slam the door on his friends, Eugene whipped the shirt around the man's neck, pulling tight. He hated doing this. He hated it. But he had to. "Go, go, go!" Eugene yelled. So much for stealth - Boone was yelling and gasping. He'd alerted the guards.  
The five men charged out of the cell. They grabbed the weapons that were piled lazily on the floor, and raced down a corridor.  
As soon as he could, he tore off, leaving Boone's body on the floor. He was without a weapon, but managed to snag one before he caught up with the others.  
"We doing okay?"  
Louis nodded, motioning for the men to press against a dirty wall, motioning to fall silent. They did, and heard no more footsteps. "Okay," he breathed, leading them down a hallway that was uncomfortably barren.  
"Something's not right. Be on the lookout," Eugene warned.  
They made it out of the building, and were confronted by two last men. They had muskets.  
"Split up! Split up!" Eugene yelled. "They can't get all of us!" The men all ran in separate directions. Both of the guards ran after Eugene. "Bet you can't catch me!" he yelled behind him, taunting to keep them hot on his tail. The men were supposed to go as fast as they could to the dock - and pray that their ship was still there.  
He heard a musket getting loaded behind him, and started a zigzag run. He heard the musket fire, and although a fragment scraped his thigh, he was unharmed otherwise. He felt a thick, hot trickle of blood come from his thigh, and he finally turned around, slowing his pace. Drawing the sword he'd stolen, he realized the men were unarmed except for their muskets. Get the muskets from them and they'd be defenseless. Easy, peasy.  
He took a deep breath, feigning a strike towards the men. As the taller one tried to load his musket, Eugene knocked it from his hand, slicing him with the sword. He loosed a shriek of pain, and the other aimed his own musket. With expert precision, Eugene nicked the other man's shoulder as he slid his sword blade into the musket's shoulder strap. When the man dropped it with a gasp of pain, he slipped the musket easily away from him before he even knew what was happening. They both lunged.

Sebastian and Louis pulled an injured Anderson along between the two of them, Lee and Fredrick went in front of and behind them and covered for them.  
They yelled with excitement when they saw their ship - the big beauty! - was still docked.  
The men pounded on board and after the initial shock, all the men remaining on the ship greeted them rowdily, passing a drink of rum around to all of them.  
"Where's cap?" a lieutenant asked. They were nearly ready to leave the wretched country.  
"He's coming. Wait for him," Sebastian reassured him, taking a deep gulp of the harsh liquid and watching as Anderson's wounds were tended to.  
A half an hour passed, and Eugene finally barreled onto the ship, heaving and choking for air. "We're good. They're taken care of. We're good. Good work, men."  
A loud shout arose from every corner of the ship, and the ramp was raised. "Let's go home, men!" the ship's captain yelled, and yet another celebratory shout rose.  
Eugene stumbled to his bunk, crawling into it with a groan. He had snagged a wet rag from the doctor, and used it to clean his injured leg, as well as a couple minor slashes from a knife. Finally, he scrubbed furiously at the blood speckling his hands and chest, coughing and still out of breath from his crazed run for the ship. The doctor, who he'd been avoiding, came to tend to his wounds, cleaning the cuts on his back from the torture sessions and disinfecting the other wounds before confirming a cold, which had turned into very mild pneumonia. He gave him a gulp of some horrible, harsh alcohol, which he said would 'burn any sickness out of his body'. He believed it. But all he cared about for now was to get home and see his girl. He didn't want to think about the deaths he'd caused today.


	17. Chapter 17: Return (Part 8)

On the day of the soldiers' arrival back home, the King approached Rapunzel at breakfast.  
"Dear, would you please accompany me to welcome the troop home? Your mother has tea with Queen Merida once more, so you should take her place."  
"Must I, Father?" she asked quietly. She couldn't bear the thought. She felt numb and was lacking the sweet, goofy, and endearing personality she had once had. She just didn't have it in her to _be _her old self anymore, at least not right now. She couldn't convince herself to let go of him, though. She still held out hope that he was somehow okay, that there had been a mistake. She knew it was stupid of herself, but she couldn't help it.  
He sighed. "It would be the good thing to do. They've fought for the country as well as Dun'Broch, and we must give both our appreciation to them and our condolences to the families of those who don't get to welcome home a family member."  
She bit her lip and nodded. Those people probably felt like her. "Okay. I'll go."  
He reached across the table to squeeze her hand. "That's my girl."

Two hours later, the desolate princess and her father stood at the dock in the chilly, early December air, waiting for the men to come out of the ship. Rapunzel looked around her, pulling her thick cloak a little closer around herself. A few snowflakes flitted through the air, and puffs of warm breath came from her nose. The ramp had already been lowered to meet the wooden deck, but nobody came out for a few minutes. After what seemed to be an eternity, men slowly started flooding out. Most had injuries of some sort, others were okay physically, but looked simply haunted. Rapunzel and her father shook the hands of most of the soldiers that came down - the ones who didn't immediately run past, not even noticing them: they were desperate to get back to their families. Rapunzel watched as the soldiers' faces lit up as soon as they saw their families. Her stomach twisted painfully, but she turned back to shake the hand of another soldier, who smiled before pushing past, calling the name of his wife. She watched as a vaguely familiar woman, carrying a bundle that must have been a young baby, ran towards the soldier. Rapunzel bit back a sigh. She was thankful to all of them, truly she was, and she was glad that they all got to go home to their families; but she couldn't help but wish the welcoming ceremony was over already. That now-familiar feeling of drowning in the air she stood in draped over her like a thick, oppressive blanket. She felt like she just _had _to get away, to get to her bedroom where she could weep violently into a pillow and nobody would know…but she managed to smile once more as she welcomed a tall, young redhead and thanked him for his service. He had an obvious injury to his leg, and he limped past after casting a glance over his shoulder. Following his glance up to the top of the ramp, she tried to figure out how many more soldiers were in there. Another tall man stumbled out of the darkness of the inside of the ship, so there must be plenty more to greet. She watched as the man, who was doubled over after another soldier jostled past him, slowly straightened and leaned up against the railing of the ramp. For a moment, she wished she still had her long hair. She could have healed every single one of these soldiers if she still had her power. Shaking herself out of her thoughts, she plastered a smile back on once more and continued shaking the men's grubby hands.

After the majority of the soldiers had exited the ship, the King touched Rapunzel's arm. "Darling, wait here, okay? I have to speak with the captain of the ship. I'll be right back."  
"Okay," she nodded, giving him a small smile despite her heart dropping with disappointment. She'd be completely alone in this crowd. Could the day become any worse? She supposed it could.  
"That's my girl. I'll be back." With that, her father disappeared into the crowd.  
Sighing, Rapunzel returned her gaze to her boots, twisting the edges of her cloak around her hands to warm them. She scuffed a toe across the cold, splintery wood of the dock, noticing the flakes of snow accumulating on the ground and thinking about how Eugene had gone out with her to see her first snow...how he'd proposed...how sweetly he'd smiled...she swallowed the all-too-familiar lump in her throat and pulled her cloak tight around herself, folding her arms around herself. A man, carrying a burlap bag, rushed to find his loved ones again. She moved aside, and bumped into someone else. "Oh, I'm so sorry!" she gasped, her face turning bright red.  
The fatherly-looking, older soldier grinned. "That's alright. You're the princess, yes?" he asked.  
"Yes. Thank you for your service," she smiled. He chuckled and nodded, moving past.

She shuffled back to where she'd originally been standing amidst the crowd. Moments later, two strong arms encircled her waist. Before she could scream or yank away, a warm breath puffed against her cold ear.  
"You cold?"  
Her breath caught in her throat, and her heart beat against her chest. Could it be..? She whirled on her heel, almost tripping on her long cloak.  
"Eugene?" she breathed, staring up at him with disbelief.  
He gave her a grin - oh, that grin! - and she threw her arms around him, sobbing.  
"Hey, if I'm gonna make you cry, maybe I should just-" he immediately started to tease, but he put his arms tightly around her.  
"I thought you were dead!" she cried, looking up to meet his eyes. "How...?"  
"That's a story for later," he ducked to kiss her cheek, and she grabbed his face with her hands, sprinkling his face with quick, soft kisses that felt like heaven. Chuckling, he guided her lips to his, kissing her fervently. When they came up for air, she stared at him again with a dazzling smile.  
"I can't believe..." she laughed and grabbed him up into another tight hug. He grinned, holding her slim frame close and then tightening his arms around her when she half laughed-half sobbed.  
"I love you, sweetheart," he bent to whisper it in her ear.  
She pulled away enough to see his face, smiling. "I love you too. So, so, _so _much!"  
The tall man grinned. "Best thing I've heard in almost half of a year."  
She smiled - gosh, even her eyes danced with a smile! - but then her mother-hen tendencies kicked in. "Are you okay? I mean-"  
He broke her off, nodding. "I'm a bit sore, but I'm good. I have some new, heh, _battle_ scars, but if you overlook them, I'm flawless," he teased, winking. "Just like I'd never left."  
"Only adding a lot of mental and emotional damage," Rapunzel said it in a joking manner, but she didn't know quite how true it was.  
He nodded, pulling her close to him again. She burrowed her face into his chest, drinking in his - albeit smelly - scent. She didn't really care, she was just so happy to have him home. He nuzzled her hair, hiding his smile in her hair.  
"Rapunzel, what-Eugene?"  
They pulled away, surprised. The King stared, his mouth agape.  
"He's alive," Rapunzel looked up at him, not quite believing it herself. "He's alive!"  
He grinned, reaching a hand out to shake the King's. "It's good to see you again, sir."  
The King grabbed his hand in a death-grip, but immediately yanked him into one of those awkward handshake-hug deals. Eugene choked in surprise. What was he supposed to do? Hug him back? Would that get awkward? Oh well. He put his arms hesitantly around Rapunzel's father. When the King pulled out of the hug after a split second, clearing his throat, he smiled. "I'm glad you returned. How did you, though? Was there an error?"  
Eugene shook his head, but then paused. "Well...it's...I don't know. I'll tell you both when we get back to the castle. I'm sure the Queen will want to know, too."  
The King nodded. Soon after, they left on the short walk back to the castle.

The Queen reacted differently to Eugene's surprise homecoming.  
She threw a teacup at his head, screaming as if she had seen a ghost. She probably thought she _had._  
Eugene ducked and yanked a surprised Rapunzel out of the way as well, avoiding the woman's spot-on aim. The cup shattered on the wall, but thankfully, it was empty of all but a few droplets of tea. Thank goodness Merida had already left.  
"Good _night! _I know where you get your tendency to use kitchen items as weapons, Blondie," he joked quietly.  
"Laurel, he's back, don't kill him!" the King actually joked, too. She huffed, her green eyes wide with terror and another cup in her hand.  
"What on _earth-_"  
"If you put that cup down, I'll tell you all about it," Eugene tried to muffle a chuckle. The Queen set the cup down, but then rushed to hug him. Almost as soon as she hugged him, she pulled away and left to ask the chef to serve the late lunch, which had been prepared and waiting.

After lunch had been cleaned up and everyone was warmed up from the inside out, Eugene leaned back in his chair and began his tale.  
"Well…last month, we were gaining a lot of ground over there. It was bad; it wasn't pretty, but we were winning. Finally, though, we found the captain of the other troop. It ended up being a trap. At one point, he told us that he'd make a deal: our captain and his best men as captors, but the rest could leave. He—he, uh, threatened to come to Corona personally and assassinate the royal family if we didn't comply. He told us that Al'vae's king would be more than ready to attack Corona. I couldn't let that happen, so I agreed to be taken. I was going to try to negotiate to let the other five go, but Boone said he was too smart to fall for any deals made by me. We were imprisoned, and like I'd expected, beaten and interrogated. It only took us a coupla weeks to figure out their routine, and when we had it down pat, that's when we moved. When Boone opened our cell to take me to their torture chamber, he told me to remove my shirt. I did, but I, well...choked him with it. We took what weapons we could find and just made a run for it. We did what we had to. We made it back to the ship right before it was supposed to leave. Made everyone on the ship question their sanity when they saw us, but we made it. All of the men that were imprisoned made it out alive. Anderson came out of it with a gunshot wound and a broken leg, but that was the worst of injuries among any of them. They're truly a group of extraordinary men, sir."

He finally finished his tale, taking a deep breath and blinking a few times.  
The King nodded. "Yes, a group of extraordinary men, that is for sure. I plan to award all of you, and you will receive honors for being the captain—"  
"Oh, no. If anyone should get special honors, it should be Seb. He was the encourager; kept everyone upbeat and ready to take action." Eugene shook his head. "I don't know how the fella did it."  
The King nodded, but the Queen spoke up next. "How did you become captain of the whole troop? Harrison, the man who left Corona as the captain of the group, didn't get killed."  
"Oh, he got mad one day. He had this huge game-plan for attacking one part of the other country's soldiers, but I knew that it'd end badly, so I confronted him, like I had many times before. I'd made good points about several other faulty plans of his, and everyone tended to agree with me, so he just huffed, told me that if I had such great ideas all the time, I should just be captain, and he stuck his pin on my shirt and went to sit down. In no way did I want to be captain, but it just happened. All of the authorities on site agreed with his decision to hand over the captain's rights to me, so it was official."  
"Well, I am glad it did. If you had better tactical skills, it was likely for the better. Less people got killed."  
He nodded, but then turned to look at Rapunzel. "What, no questions from you? You usually have at least thirteen questions up your sleeve."  
She grinned. "I..sorry to disappoint, but I don't really have many questions. Yet."  
He shook his head, smiling. "_Yet_."  
"Yep. Ooh—wait! Why did they assume you dead after a failed rescue mission? What happened?"  
"Oh, that," he shook his head. "Harrison reclaimed his title of captain after they took me and the others, and so he tried to make a guess as to where they had taken us. He later told me that they had gone into the wrong building. Nobody thought to wonder if they had gone into the wrong building; instead, they assumed that the captors had gotten word of what was going to happen, and they killed us."  
"So it was due to a faulty report –" the King started.  
"Not necessarily faulty, just a thoughtless assumption," he said. He glanced back towards Rapunzel. "You knew, didn't you?"  
She nodded, lacing her fingers together in her lap. "Father showed me the letter when it came."  
"I'm sorry," he shook his head. "Maybe there was a better way to go about negotiations, but I didn't want to risk anything. I also didn't think they'd tell you I had died, though."  
"Well, all's well and you're home now, so there's no use wondering about how you could have done things differently," the King said.  
"I know," he nodded.

The rest of the day was spent catching up. After scrubbing himself and getting into some clean clothes - he'd never been so thankful for his old vests and long-sleeved shirts - Eugene told Rapunzel all of the amusing tales he'd promised in his letter.

* * *

That night, Rapunzel was woken to loud cries. Flying out of bed, she yanked her thin robe on over her nightgown and lit a candle hurriedly before padding down the hallway.  
She paused, trying to hear where the yells were coming from. Eugene's room.  
Rapunzel burst through his door, expecting something dreadful. Instead, he was having a nightmare. He was tossing and turning, crying out in his sleep. His hands grabbed and twisted at the blankets.  
She set her candle down on the stand beside his bed, leaning over him and shaking his shoulders.  
"Wake up, it's a dream. Wake up, Eugene!"  
He grabbed her wrists with an iron-tight grip, but then his eyes flew open, alarmed. She instinctively tried to pull away from his grasp - something she'd learned the hard way with Gothel - and when she succeeded in getting her arms away from him, he sat up in bed, coming to his senses and realizing how he'd scared her. He pressed his hands to his eyes and pulled his knees up, rocking slightly. "I'm sorry. I'm-"  
"It's okay, Eugene," she gave him a worried gaze before perching on the corner of his bed. "It's alright. You were having a nightmare."  
"I didn't hurt your arms, did I?" he glanced up at her.  
She shook her head. "I was just surprised." she reached to rub his back comfortingly, but he shied away and looked right at her.  
"I killed people. Rapunzel, I-I..they had families, too, and...I..I _killed _them over there!"  
She bit her lip. "I know. But you did what you had to do. You were protecting a lot of other families. It's terrible, but it...I suppose it had to be done, Eugene. You didn't kill them out of cold blood, without any purpose but to spill human blood. You did it to protect your country. They murdered the King and Queen of Scotland, and _that _was out of malice."  
He stared at his hands. "I still killed them. Geez, _Boone_ might've even had a family that'll never see him again, and-"  
"He was torturing you, Eugene...he killed the King and Queen of Scotland, and threatened to do so to us as well. You were just protecting innocent lives." She sighed and reached to put her arms around him.  
"How can you be so...so _okay_ with it? You're sitting beside someone who killed people!" he pushed away, angry at himself.  
"How many?" It was blunt.  
"Five," was his rapid-fire answer. "five, all during the escape from the prison. But I helped guide the others and planned how to kill others-"  
"You were doing it to protect this country, Eugene," she said softly.  
"We could've taken them prisoner, get information on possible future attacks-"  
"And how would you do that?" Rapunzel asked. "You'd be no better than Boone. You'd have to torture it out of them. Killing them, as cruel as it sounds, was more merciful than taking them prisoner to get information out of them."  
He opened his mouth to contradict her, but then shut it and sighed. She reached to hug him again, and this time, he didn't pull away. His shoulders started shaking. "They wanted to kill you. Torture you and do who-knows-what-else to you and kill you. They wanted to, an-and I'm upset that I killed them! What kind of a person does that make me?"  
"A compassionate person who didn't want to take other human lives," Rapunzel said quietly. "It would be a bad thing if you _didn't_ regret taking their lives. You'd be heartless. It's normal, Eugene. It's normal to regret taking their lives. But you did what had to be done. You did what my father instructed, if you were the captain. You didn't make the ultimate decisions to kill them. You just created strategies to follow my father's commands, from what I understand."  
He was quiet for a long time, and buried his face in her shoulder; much like a child seeking comfort and security. Her heart squeezed with empathy. Finally, he pulled away. "You probably think I'm completely foolish to get so upset-"  
"No I don't, Eugene. I think it's normal and to be expected!" she said firmly. "And I'm sure you aren't the only one who feels this way, either."  
He shook his head. "I'm not, I suppose, but I'm much better off as far as the nightmares."  
"Nightmares?"  
He caught himself. He didn't mean to let that slip. "Oh, I just...have nightmares about the war sometimes. It'll go away eventually. I hope."  
She nodded, pulling him into a quick hug. "I'm sorry. If you ever have a nightmare or can't sleep, you know where my room is. Come wake me up."  
He shook his head. "I can get over it myself."  
"But wouldn't it be nice to not have to, to have someone there to help you, or at least be there for you?"  
Eugene was used to getting over things by himself. He'd done it since he was five, after all. Nobody had been there for him before; nobody _cared_. "I suppose, but...well...if I don't get over them - my nightmares - will you...I don't know.."  
She shook her head. "I won't care. I love you, Eugene, and I promise I'll help you in any way that I can. Geez, I still get nightmares on occasion, still from Gothel, so I can't even imagine what you must be going through."

They didn't say anything for a couple of minutes after that, and then he flopped down on his back, sighing. "I suppose you should get to bed, huh?"  
"Mmh...if you're okay. _Are _you okay?"  
He nodded. "I will be. Thank you."  
"You're welcome!" she smiled, standing up out of his bed and leaning over to smooth a lock of hair away from his face before kissing his forehead: a simple gesture he hadn't experienced since his parents' deaths. His breath caught, but he managed to say he loved her before she left the room, leaving him reeling and not looking forward to being left alone to fight the dark memories pressing into his skull.


	18. Chapter 18: Lovely Little Day

The brunette princess dashed down the hallway, still fiddling to straighten her corset. Pascal clung desperately to her shoulder, still half-asleep and _not _amused with his owner's enthusiasm. Sure, he was happy that she was perkier, but...let sleeping chameleons lie.  
Rapunzel spotted Eugene walking through the parlor. Grabbing him from behind - nearly tackling him in the process - she turned him to face her and promptly gave him a firm, excited kiss. He laughed when she pulled away. "Well, good morning, sweetie." he tipped her chin up to steal a quick, soft kiss, and she grinned, wordlessly snagging his hand and pulling him towards the dining hall.  
She was ecstatic. She hadn't gotten the opportunity to have many breakfasts with her parents since the war broke out, and now Eugene was back, too! They'd have a family breakfast for the first time in nearly half a year.  
A maid was re-setting the table, clearing two empty plates and replacing them with full, clean ones.  
"Did my parents already eat, Imelda?" Rapunzel asked.  
"Yes, Princess. They have a lot of things to plan and finalize today; they asked me to tell you." the tall, plump maid told her, barely pausing her work.  
Rapunzel's face practically fell. "Okay, thank you," she said softly.  
So much for the idea of a family breakfast.  
The maid, Imelda, nodded, slipping out of the door after setting the table.  
"Hey," Eugene pulled a chair out for her. Once she sat, he pushed the chair to the table and plopped down in the chair next to her, turning to watch her. "What's wrong?"  
"Oh, nothing," she brushed a lock of hair away from her face. "I was just looking forward to a breakfast together with my entire family. I suppose they're still too busy for that." she shook her head and glanced at Pascal, who made a clicking sound with his tongue.  
Eugene reached to squeeze her hand. "I'm sorry. They've been pretty busy, I suppose, right? So you've been alone quite a bit lately?"  
"They're busy," she repeated, refusing to say flat out that she _had _ been alone lately. A lot. And she felt almost a bit neglected, but it was simply due to the fact that it reminded her of long, lonely days in the tower. She should be used to it, actually.  
"Well...I'm sure things will calm down soon," he reassured, stabbing at his food with his fork, still holding the princess's hand with the other.  
She nodded. "And I have you, now, too," she cast a quick, sidelong glance towards him.  
He caught her glance and winked. "And I have the entire day, in which I hope to spend with a certain someone."  
"Mmm...and who might that be?" she grinned, trying to sound unsuspecting.  
"Oh, this stunning young lady I know. Beautiful green eyes, dazzling smile..." he trailed off and smirked. "Strange frog companion-"  
"Chameleon," she corrected, just as he'd hoped. "And you're just saying that." she eyed him to let him know she wasn't going to fall for a bit of flattery.  
"Who says you don't have pretty eyes and a killer smile? They're obviously blind. Give me a name and an address and I'll beat them up for you," he teased.  
She gulped her mouthful down to stick her tongue out at him teasingly. "I can take care of myself, don't worry."  
"Hey! Don't make me pull out the smolder-"  
"Which I _broke_, need I remind you. Point made that I would have already beaten someone up if they insulted me, if I had wanted to?" she threw back, teasing.  
"Oh, please. You know that the smolder is still fully functional."  
"And still as weird as ever, dear," Rapunzel pointed out with a giggle.  
He shook his head. "You're impossible."  
"And you're awful!"

The playful bickering lasted throughout breakfast and echoed down the hallways as the princess trotted backwards, leading him to the painting room as she continued their steady stream of teasing.  
"You know, your princess-training stuff has _really _paid off."  
"Hey, I finally finished training!"  
"Well," he laughed, "it obviously didn't sink in."  
She swatted his arm. "Hey!"  
"You started it," he flinched away from another playful punch. Thinking fast, he grabbed her arm and trapped her by wrapping his arms tightly around her shoulders, threatening to tickle her. Gasping, she wormed away from him, but ended up letting him catch her again anyway. She was enjoying this whole thing way too much to let it stop!

They spent the entire day together. Rapunzel showed off her newest paintings, and then they went to the library, where they spent the majority of the chilly December day. Rapunzel filled him in on how her past six months had gone, and as usual, he hung onto her every word. She found it hard to focus on what she was saying when he would give her an adorable smile, meeting her eyes, so she would duck her head and nibble her lip, trying to conceal her smile as she would fight to remember exactly what she'd been trying to say in the first place.

When it came way past time to go to bed, they stopped in front of her bedroom door.  
"If you can't sleep, wake me, okay? I won't mind. I love you!" the princess instructed him.  
Eugene smiled, despite his dread of being alone and trying to sleep. "Okay. I love you too, sweetie."  
She ducked her head, slightly embarrassed but still enjoying the new endearment. "I'll see you in the morning."  
"Yup," he took a deep breath, glancing at his own bedroom door. He didn't want to meet the darkness waiting for him behind that door.  
She slipped her arms around him, nestling her head against his shoulder. He buried his nose in the girl's choppy hair, giving her a tight squeeze. They remained in the embrace for a couple of minutes before she pulled away, sighing contentedly. "'Night. Sweet dreams!"  
He chuckled, watching her open her door. He hadn't heard the 'sweet dreams' thing in years, and thought it amusing that it was making a comeback when he was a man in his twenties. "Good night. Sweet dreams to you too, precious girl."  
Rapunzel's breath caught. Gothel had always called her 'my precious girl'. Yet, the gentleness in which he'd said the endearment -and he actually _did _mean it as an endearment - sent a warm feeling spreading through her body and a tingle up her spine. She flashed him a smile before closing her door.


	19. Chapter 19: On Orphanages and Princes

A week after Eugene's return, Rapunzel asked if he wanted to accompany her to the orphanage. He agreed, of course - they'd practically been joined at the hip since his return. Plus, he was a tad bit eager to see the old place again. He found it ironic - when he was a child, he'd hated the place. Now he was curious to see how it had held up; how much of it was still the same.

They were greeted by a crowd of delighted children. One little boy exclaimed, "I thought a dragon had snatched you away and a Prince Charming would have to save you!"  
Rapunzel laughed, kneeling to give the dimpled boy a hug. "I'm sorry, darlings. I hope I can make it up to you with some reading?"  
Ignoring the promise of a story, they all looked up...up...up at Eugene.  
"Who's that?"  
"Who're you?"  
"Are you a prince?"  
"Is he your Prince Charming?"  
Everyone started questioning Rapunzel and her mystery companion.  
"No, silly, he _has _to be Flynn Rider!" a young girl, who simply adored the book, exclaimed. Eugene chuckled. "So, I'm a swashbuckling rogue, you think?"  
Her blue eyes widened. "You've read it, too?"  
"It's only my favorite book," he grinned at the girl's excitement.  
He and the princess sat, letting the children crowd around them. They took turns reading sections of _The Tales of Flynnigan Rider _to the kids, and Rapunzel wished she had the storytelling skills that the young man did. He made each sentence sound intense, packed with action and emotion, and she herself felt as if she was actually in the book when he read from it. She'd have to ask him for tips.

After they had each read for an hour, the children were called to eat their lunch. While they were preoccupied fighting over who got the red and who got the green apples for snacks, Rapunzel helped with the five babies, holding and talking to them as the energetic woman, Claire, exchanged their dirty linen bedding for clean.  
Eugene watched from a distance as the girl he adored cuddled a particularly fussy baby. It couldn't have been three months old, and was wailing and kicking its legs. She soothed its whimpers in no time with quiet coos and stroking its little cheek with a finger. Glancing up, she caught Eugene's affectionate gaze, mistook it, and strode over with a smile, letting him see the baby.  
"She's a dear, isn't she?" she asked, grinning at the baby when she grabbed the princess's forefinger and stuffed it in her mouth, sucking at it.  
Eugene peeked at the baby's face, which was still red from crying, and nodded, proceeding to make a face silly enough to make the baby smile.  
Claire suddenly strode over, depositing a bundle into Eugene's arms and instructing him to hold it until she was done with the child's bed. In the same breath, she led Rapunzel off, thanking her for the help.

Rapunzel settled the baby into its crib with a twinge of regret, wishing she could hold her _forever_. When she managed to pull her gaze away from the child, she turned to see if Eugene was still holding the baby boy Claire had plopped into his arms. The tall, seemingly tough man was making faces at the baby, scrunching his nose up and grinning when the baby's chubby hand grabbed at the tip of his nose. The baby giggled, but turned and reached out for Claire as soon as he saw her coming with a feeding-bottle.

When they left the orphanage a little later, Eugene slung his arm around the princess's slim shoulders. "So...you're a natural with kids, Blondie."  
She grinned. "You are, too."  
"Well, that's because I spent my childhood taking care of the younger kids at the orphanage. I didn't realize how much I enjoyed it until today."  
She nibbled her lip, trying to hide a smile. "Your skills will come in handy when we're parents."  
He almost froze in his tracks with surprise. "Hmm...yes, it will." Snagging her hand impulsively, he twirled her around quickly and just as quickly, he pulled her back to his side. She threw her head back, letting a laugh escape her slim, white throat.  
"What's that all about?"  
"Anything to make you laugh, gorgeous. When will we go back to the orphanage?"  
She giggled. "Soon! _Very _soon. I love helping them out."  
"Mmhm. I think the kids like it, too. Actually, I _know _they do. Good grief, I thought we were going to get knocked over by the swarm of kids that appeared as soon as they saw you!"  
She nodded, grinning at the children's enthusiasm. "I feel bad for not going for the past few weeks. You'll have to teach me how to read a storybook, though. The way you read it is just...just _thrilling_!"  
He chuckled. "You just add emphasis. It's easier for me to get into reading that book, though, because I've had plenty of time to memorize it and I really like it."  
She hid a smile. "I can see why." She had to admit that she too had fallen in love with the book.  
He gave her a surprised glance. "How many times have you read it?"  
"Three times on my own; about twice from cover-to-cover for the kids at the orphanage," she said.  
He grinned teasingly, despite the fact that he was ecstatic about this new development. "So...what's your favorite part?"  
As she started on her favorite part of the book - or several favorite parts - he watched her, his grin spreading into a full-fledged smile. He couldn't wait to propose to this girl; all he needed now was the right time and the right speech.


	20. Chapter 20: She Finally Said Yes

Two weeks after Eugene's return home, he decided it was time to ask her.  
It was mid-December, and despite the chilly temperatures and snow, he went to find Rapunzel. She was in her painting-room, working diligently at something.  
He leaned against the door frame for a moment. She hadn't even heard the door open, she was so focused on her painting. She leaned forward towards the canvas, her tongue poking from the corner of her mouth as she flicked the brush against the canvas with amazing gentleness, and, he was sure, precision.

She sat back, obviously pleased with her accomplishment, but then let her eyes focus on the door, which she had just noticed was ajar.  
"Oh! How long have you been standing there? You know you could've come in," she jumped up out of her seat, hurriedly putting her paints and brushes away. "What's up?"  
He strode over, watching as she grabbed a dirty cloth, rubbing firmly at the stiff bristles of her brushes until they were mostly clean.  
"I was wondering if you wanted to go for a walk…?" his voice tilted up at the end of the sentence, turning it into a question.  
She glanced up at him, a goofy, excited grin spreading across her face. "Of course, Eugene!" The man offered his hand out to the young lady, and she took it, smiling as she stood. "Let's go!"  
He laughed. "You should tell your parents first. They'll kill me if we just go for a walk without notifying them first."  
She shook her head. "They won't, but you're right."  
"They won't, but I'm right? What's that even mean?" he teased.  
Swatting his arm gently, she rolled her eyes. "They won't kill you, but you're right that I should tell them."

About fifteen minutes later, they were bundled up and headed for their old favorite trail. Rapunzel took in the sights. She hadn't gone for a walk down this trail since before Eugene had left, and this trail was simply gorgeous in the winter. Snow powdered the bare tree branches, making even the most ugly, barren bark pretty once more. The powdery, white fluff clung to and dissolved on the hem of her thick purple cloak, and she folded her arms, tucking her cold fingers inside of her cloak to warm them up.  
Eugene watched Rapunzel take in the sights. Her already rosy cheeks turned red, as did her nose, and the smile that graced her face was dazzling, breathtaking, intoxicating; in his mind, he couldn't decide on just one word to describe it. It was the same smile she had worn when she had first glimpsed the thousands of lanterns floating in the sky on her eighteenth birthday. When the girl shrugged her shoulders up to her ears and shivered in response to a bit of wind that had recently picked up, he pulled the knit cap off of his head, plopping it down on her short brown locks. She tore her gaze away from the scenery and looked up at him, peeking out from beneath the too-large hat's edge.  
"What?"  
"Your ears are cold."  
She grinned, her face turning slightly redder. "Thanks, but-"  
"But nothing," he grinned, kissing the tip of her nose.  
"Isn't the forest beautiful?" she asked, swiftly turning her attention back to the trees.  
He suppressed a laugh. She was able to switch from one thing to the next just like that. "Yes, it's pretty."  
"I just love how the snow clings to the branches on those trees," she pointed. "And the little drifts of snow here and there! It looks like someone sprinkled sugar all over the place."  
He nodded, paying attention to everything she said. It amazed him how she could see beauty in everything, and in every_one_. He'd never understand it.  
Stuffing his cold hands in his pockets, his fingers grazed against a metal band. He'd spent several nights staring at it; when he'd have insomnia or nightmares, he would distract himself by trying to think of the perfect speech.  
He took a deep breath, but didn't say anything.  
"…Right?"  
"Hm?" he cleared his throat, refocusing his attention on her. "Sorry." he grinned sheepishly at her.  
She grinned, wondering what he was so preoccupied about. "I just said that it's funny how such a cold, miserable thing could be so pretty."  
He nodded, chuckling. "Yep."

They reached the familiar big oak, and she sighed happily, swinging her arms as she looked every which way. He stopped at the tree, but she went to the edge of the clearing, going to study a low-hanging branch. She immediately wanted to paint the tree: its cold, gray branches swooped delicately towards the ground before arching back upwards, and each held a layer of snow. She studied a few individual snowflakes that fell on a part of the branch that was uncovered, marveling at how each one was different and beautiful in its own, unique way. Finally, she looked back at Eugene, giving him the most stunning smile.  
She ran back to the tree, tackling him into a hug.  
He laughed, putting his arms around her slim waist and pulling her close. When she pulled away, he gave her a grin. "What was that for?"  
"Thank you!" she laughed as if it were so obvious. "Thank you for coming on a walk with me."  
"T'was my pleasure, m'lady," he said teasingly, and she smiled before pulling away, slipping her cool hand comfortably into his.  
She sighed happily, still looking around and enjoying the crisp air, and he took a deep breath, gulping.  
He watched her a moment before opening his mouth and asking tentatively: "So…Rapunzel?"  
"Yes?" she asked, turning to give him her attention. Her large green eyes studied his handsome face, and her full attention only made it that much harder for him to spit it out. He'd asked her before, how could it possibly be hard by now? Fear of rejection once more?  
"I…I was just wondering, you know, um…I-If…if you would…what you'd say if I'd ask you to marry me," he finally managed. "You're driving me crazy. I've loved you almost since the day we met, and you'd make me just about the happiest guy in this kingdom if you'd marry me. Heck, I might revise that sentence, because you make me the happiest guy in this kingdom every time you _look_ at me. Especially when you smile. And since I can't wait to start spinning new dreams with you, I figured it couldn't hurt to ask you again."  
Her breath caught in her throat, and she met his brown eyes. Her heart thundered with excitement, not panic. She'd been waiting for this moment. "Yes," she whispered.  
"What?" his eyes widened. Had he heard her right?!  
"I would say yes, Eugene," she smiled shyly, and he immediately crammed his hand into his pocket, fishing the ring out and holding it out to her with a shaky hand as he plopped one knee down into the snow.  
"Then…would you? Would you marry me?"

She laughed. "Yes, Eugene…yes; of course I'll marry you!"  
He grinned, taking her hand and slipping the ring on the slim finger of her left hand. It took a couple of moments for it to sink in, but then Rapunzel grabbed him into a hug before he could even stand up. The man she'd thought dead just over a month ago was officially going to be her husband. Eugene smiled and buried his nose into her hair, sighing as he held her close - albeit awkwardly. "I love you," he whispered.  
He pulled away just long enough to stand up, pulling her up with him.  
"Love you too," she said before he could envelope her in another hug. Grinning, she reached out for his scarf ends, tugging on them and bouncing up on her toes to kiss him. The warm, special kiss they shared warmed both of them from the inside out, and when she pulled away breathlessly, her eyes glittered with excitement. Eugene's did as well. She slipped back into his arms, burying her face into his shoulder and drinking in his scent. But Eugene pulled away, meeting her eyes to ask her something.  
"What changed? I mean…this isn't a decision based purely on the fact that I'm home from the war, is it?" he asked.  
"No," she shook her head, but then reconsidered. "Well…I don't know. When you were gone…and when I thought you were, you know, dead…it just made me think. I've been telling you no because I have so many things to experience yet; things to see that I've never seen before, but then I realized something. You've been by my side for everything. You were the one who made my only dream come true when I was eighteen, for goodness' sake! I can still go on adventures and learn things when I'm married."  
He nodded, leaning his forehead against hers. She felt his warm breath puff against her face, a stark contrast to the chilly air surrounding them and the snowflakes pecking at the back of her neck. "I'll be more than happy to accompany you on all the adventures you wish to go on," he brushed his lips against hers before straightening, smiling at her.  
She grinned and slipped her small hand into his larger one. "Then... let's go see what's past the clearing. We haven't been past here in almost a year!"  
"That sounds good to me. But we'll head back soon; I don't want you getting sick."  
With that, the ex-thief soldier and the lost princess left the clearing, hand-in-hand with stars in their eyes, snowflakes in their hair, and happy smiles across their faces.


	21. Chapter 21:Love You For a Thousand Years

**A/N: Thanks once again for all the favorites/follows/reviews, everyone! I appreciate it all, truly I do!  
Title was inspired by "A Thousand Years" by Christina Perri. I love that song!  
**

* * *

Rapunzel took a deep breath, watching the group of ladies buzzing around her. She was up on a stool, the women carefully placing the crown and veil atop her head. Another woman handed her the bouquet of lilies. She took a deep, shaky breath and stared at herself in the mirror in front of her.  
The women stepped back, admiring their work. The princess was ready for her wedding. The Queen entered the room, and they quickly bowed out, giving them a private moment together.  
She gasped, hurrying over to help Rapunzel from her stool and immediately hugging her - carefully enough to not mess up her veil.  
"Oh, my dear girl...you're so beautiful. _So _beautiful."  
Rapunzel smiled nervously. "Thank you." she glanced down at her dress, which was all white except for a pale purple section going down the center of the dress. Her wedding dress was not flamboyant or huge; she'd wanted a simple dress. Tiny swirls trailed down either side of the purple section, and the bodice was held tightly in place, the corset strings in the back. Pale gold swirls that matched the ones on the skirt went over the center of her bodice, and lace adorned her neckline and short sleeves. The incredibly long veil - seventy feet long - was behind her in a gently-folded mass, waiting to be carried to the entrance of the church sanctuary. The plain white veil was adorned with delicate, precious gems, with a kingdom sun patterned onto it.  
"Are you nervous?"  
She nodded, nibbling her lip. She just wanted to get it over with already! And what if something happened? What if the ceremony went terribly wrong? What if-  
"Oh, sweetheart. Don't be scared! Everything will go well, and this time tomorrow, you'll be a married woman. I know how jittery the final minutes are before the ceremony, but don't fret." Her mother tucked a stray brown hair out of the girl's eyes, studying her daughter's freckled face. Had it been just two years since their precious daughter had been returned? Her eyes teared up, and Rapunzel pulled her mother into a hug. "My little girl's getting married."  
She smiled, pulling away to meet her mother's eyes. "Mother, I'll still be in the castle. Unless you plan on kicking us out?"  
The Queen laughed gently. "Definitely not. We'll be keeping you both around."  
Rapunzel grinned. "Good."  
A loud bell donged from outside, and she gasped. "It's time, sweetheart! We need to get you out there!"  
Rapunzel sucked in a deep breath - if she kept doing so, she might pass out - and scooped her veil up, following her mother out of the door. Pausing, she glanced down mischievously and kicked out of her painful high-heeled shoes before padding after her mother. _Much better. _

They stopped at the church sanctuary just in time to see Maximus and Pascal successfully make it down the aisle - as ring-bearer and flower...chameleon..., respectively.  
Rapunzel turned to hug her mother one more time, and her father took her arm as a couple of women unrolled her long veil.  
"You look beautiful, darling," he whispered, his eyes crinkling with a fatherly smile as he looked down at his darling girl.  
"Thank you, father," she smiled. "I love you!"  
He chuckled. "I love you, too."  
Hook-Hand - yes, she had requested he play the piano at the wedding. No, she did not regret a thing - twisted in his seat, grinning when he saw her. Throwing an axe at their accordion-playing slave to get his attention, he started gaily pounding out the wedding march on the piano to accompany the accordion player.  
Rapunzel sucked in a deep breath, finally allowing her eyes to travel up the aisle and look at Eugene.

Eugene's eyes met hers. He was incredibly nervous. He'd never imagined himself getting married, let alone to a _princess_. He had had his own reservations about the commitment of marriage, although he knew no other woman would ever hold his heart. That tiny, brunette girl had stolen his heart and not returned it.  
He straightened his shoulders in the stiff shirt he wore, clasping his hands in front of him to try to calm their shaking. But then he saw the girl - _his _girl, soon to be.  
"Wow," the _bishop _commented.  
Eugene could hardly catch his breath, but once he had, he repeated the comment.  
"_Wooow._"  
Snapping out of his thoughts, which were all centered around the girl making her way up the aisle, he glanced down to his side and saw the old pub thug, Shorty...drunk as usual. Smirking at the old man, who never failed to be drunk at a public event, he shoved him away from the stage.  
Refocusing his attention back to Rapunzel, he caught a glimpse of her bare toes - and tried to conceal a grin. Of course she would have figured out how to get out of those shoes before the ceremony. Good - he was glad she'd managed it. She'd been pretty disgusted about the concept of wearing shoes.

When Rapunzel arrived in front of the steps, her father let go of her, kissing her cheek and giving her a hug before going to the church pew to sit with Rapunzel's mother. She gave Eugene an excited smile, and they both took deep breaths, calming their nervousness.


	22. Chapter 22: On Nightmares and the Future

Rapunzel woke up abruptly when she felt a foot plant into her back and nearly launch her out of bed. With a gasp, she scrambled to stay in bed. When she finally did, she sat up and looked at Eugene. He was curled in a tight ball, whimpering and muttering to himself in his sleep.  
"Hey...wake up. It's a nightmare, wake up," Rapunzel leaned over him, jostling his shoulder to wake him.  
He jerked awake, his breath catching in his throat before he could cry out. Glancing at her, he let his breath out with a sigh, rolling onto his back. "Sorry. Did I wake you?"  
She shook her head. They'd been married for just a few weeks; he still had nightmares about the war. She watched his face, wishing she could somehow take his memories of the war away, even if she had to live with them herself. She just hated watching him suffer through it. "Are you okay?"  
He sighed. "Same old, same old." Sitting up, he rubbed his face with his hands before scooting out of bed. "I'm going to be in the library."  
"Wait," Rapunzel snagged his hand. "Talk to me. Please? It might help."  
He swallowed, watching his wife a moment before giving in, sitting down beside her on the bed. "Like I said, it's the same as always."  
"Well, which one? You usually either dream about someone you love getting killed or your escape from prison."  
He shook his head. "Does it matter?"  
Rapunzel nibbled her lip. "Well, it makes me feel better to know what's going on in that brain of yours."  
The young man shook his head. "It was the one where you get captured, tortured, and killed, if you have to know. I'm so sick of this!"  
She slid her thin arms around him. "I know, bud. But you haven't been having them quite as often, have you?"  
"I guess not, but who's been keeping tally of when I have nightmares versus when I don't?"  
"Um, maybe your wife, who's been worried about you since you came home..?" Rapunzel suggested.  
He gave her a small grin. "I know."  
She gave his torso a squeeze, and he put his arms around her in return. Pulling her close, he nuzzled her hair a moment before kissing her cheek. "Sorry I woke you. By the way, I know I probably did - you usually sleep soundly unless you're woken up."  
She tsked her tongue. "Alright, Observant One." she rolled an eye up to see if he found amusement in her teasing; he rolled his eyes with a grin. Soon, however, it faded.  
"I can't be a good father if I'm so afflicted with these stupid nightmares..."  
"Well, you don't have to worry about it right this instant. You'll make a fine father when the time comes, and you're already getting less nightmares than you did in December," she told him. It had been about four months since his return. "We've only been married three weeks, remember - I'm not with child yet. Worry about being a father when the time comes. Until then, worry about getting over your nightmares. 'Kay?"

He sighed, running his hands through his hair. "I know. But I've gotta think about the future too. And I've been a _mess _trying to work at the woodshop because I can't sleep."  
She rubbed his back with empathy. "Maybe you could take some time off. I'm sure Mr. Joel would understand - he's a veteran himself, isn't he?"  
"Yes, and I've talked to him. He said the work would tire me out, help me sleep better...but it hasn't."  
The princess bit her lip, trying to wrack her mind for ideas to help her husband. "Sorry."  
"Hey," he nudged her with his elbow. "Don't start worrying. I know that look too, by the way."  
She tsked her tongue again. "I can worry if I want to!"  
"_Can _you?" he asked.  
"Yes," she teased. "But I'll offer you a deal."  
"Yeah?" he might have abandoned his status as thief about two years ago for her, but he still perked up at the mention of a 'deal'.  
"You stop worrying about the future and about your nightmares, and I'll stop worrying about _you!_"  
"That's impossible," he tried to act insulted, playing along.  
"Is it?" she threw back, turning the tables.  
They exchanged a few more teasing sentences before he flopped on his back, rubbing his eyes and chuckling. "I don't know what I'd do without you."  
"You'd be roaming the streets and might not have been roped into going to the war," she pointed out quietly, the thought never occurring to her until that point.  
"Well, I guess that's a small price I had to pay, then. C'mere." he reached his arms out for her, pulling her snug up against his side and letting her rest her head on his shoulder. "You need to teach me how to be more optimistic, like you."  
"That's impossible. You're a pessimist and unteachable," she grinned, cuddling up against him.  
"Ah, so you're going to play _that _card, hm? Fine, then. Meanie," he joked, and she swatted his arm gently, trying to hide her grin. She didn't mind staying up at 3AM teasing him - as long as their playful bickering distracted from his nightmares.


	23. Chapter 23:A Thief to a King-in-Training

**A/N: Thanks again, everyone, for the support, follows, favorites, reviews, everything. It means a LOT! (:  
Suggested in part by silviatangled  
**

* * *

"It's time you start your training to become the king."  
That's what Eugene was greeted with on a Sunday morning, just barely a month after he'd married the love of his life and become prince consort.  
"Huh?" was his very intelligent response.  
"We'll start after the church service; this afternoon will be fine to begin," the King mused.  
"Once more..._huh_?" he glanced towards his wife, who looked as shocked as he felt.  
"You do understand you've got to undergo some training to one day become king, correct? You're starting this afternoon, and will have lessons after you get back from work each evening."

Tariffs. Budgets. Laws and bylaws, trade deals, country alliances.  
Greek to Eugene. The King pounded these terms into his head until he thought his head would explode. To boot, he was irritated with his lack of a day off - which was when he spent time with Rapunzel. Sundays were for relaxation and catching up after a busy week - she helping her mother with small tasks and he working at the woodshop during the week -. They were _not_ for learning whatever...buy laws were. Whatever that meant, anyway.  
Finally, he wandered out of the King's office at ten o'clock Sunday night. Rapunzel - everyone, to be precise, except he and the King - had already gone to bed, but she was waiting up for him, curled up on the bed talking to Pascal. The massive window was cracked open to allow a cool breeze inside, and the gray sheer curtains billowed gently.  
Eugene faceplanted dramatically in the bed beside Rapunzel, groaning with disgust over the whole training thing.  
"Your father is an awful teacher," he mumbled into the mattress. "And I have to do this after work tomorrow?"  
She giggled. "You'll be fine."  
"This is the story of the day my life end-"  
"Oh, quit!" she laughed, sitting up and scrubbing her fingers affectionately through the short brown hair covering the back of his head.  
He rolled over to sit up and get out of bed - and promptly fell out of bed. Darn it, he hadn't realized how close to the edge he was. Today just wasn't his day, he decided. Rapunzel was shaking from her attempt to not laugh, and he gave her a disgusted glance as he stood, cradling his right elbow. Grabbing a pillow, he threw it at her before leaving to change into his night clothes.  
"Why don't you just quit your job? I mean, I know it's important to you, but you'll be king one day - and that's a _huge_ job!" she asked.  
He didn't answer her until he had returned, dressed for bed. His face held an unreadable expression as he considered what to say. "It's a long story," he finally said.  
"Well...give me a summary, then!" she watched him, her large eyes batting with curiosity.  
He sighed, sitting down on the edge of the bed. "My pa," he started, nibbling his upper lip. Would she understand? "My pa was a good man. He saw my talent with carpentry from early on. Even though he was a fisherman and terrible at working with wood, he always supported me and encouraged me to follow my talent. He always made it fun and never discouraged it, and I was a good help with fixing things around the house. I even got to do some small repair jobs for the neighbors. So when I'm working with wood - I don't know, it makes me feel good. Useful. I'm doing what my pa always told me I should do." he finished, staring at his rough hands a moment before casting a sheepish glance towards Rapunzel. Did she understand?

She smiled, reaching to pull him into a hug. "Okay. You really need to tell me your back story, bud."  
He rubbed his eyes, which were burning from reading all of those numbers haphazardly scrawled across pages. Or maybe they weren't scrawled haphazardly, since they were official documents, but...they sure looked it. "I know. After my training, hm? Deal?"  
She tsked her tongue, grinning. "Everything's gotta be a deal with you, doesn't it?"  
"Well, I _was _an ex-thief. You knew what you were getting into when you said 'yes'," he teased.  
"I actually didn't. I don't know your entire back story," the brunette threw back.  
"Alright, smarty. Touche." he chuckled, tilting her head up to give her a quick kiss.

* * *

The next day, Rapunzel met her husband at the door with a happy kiss and a quick hug, which lifted his mood after a tedious day at work. "Father's waiting. Have fun!" she teased.  
Well, there went that better mood. "Hm...yeah. Thanks." he rolled his eyes, but grinned. After pulling his boots off and setting them in the armoire at the private entrance of the castle, he gave her a quick kiss on the forehead before heading to the King's office.  
"Good afternoon. Glad you didn't try to skip out on lessons," the King chuckled.  
"Not saying if the thought crossed my mind," Eugene said.  
He shook his head, smiling in a fatherly manner. "You'll learn quickly, son, don't worry. You already had a crash course with war strategies and procedure, et-cetera, so all you've got to learn is the laws and bylaws, tariffs, and budgeting. You're smart and you already know our enforcement and law systems fairly well..." he trailed off, chuckling again. "So you'll be ready in no time. Now, I want you to take a look at this month's budgeting system and economic..."  
Eugene took the deceivingly small scroll - which unrolled to spill onto his lap, much to his distaste - and tried to make sense of whatever the princess's father was rattling on about.


	24. Chapter 24: Disappointments

Eugene was more than halfway through his king training, which was going quicker than he had expected, when Rapunzel gave him the news.  
"Eugene!" Rapunzel yelled, racing and practically throwing herself at the young man who had just walked through the door after a long day at work.  
He chuckled, catching her and giving her a tight hug, his mood immediately lifting. "What, did you miss me?"  
She giggled. "I had a visit with the castle doctor today…"  
His eyebrows rose. "And..?"  
She stood up on tiptoe to whisper the words they'd both been waiting to hear: "I'm going to have a baby!"

The doctor had warned her to curb her excitement, for reasons unknown to her, but being Rapunzel, she didn't. Her parents and Eugene were nearly as ecstatic as she was; a nursery was immediately created. Eugene started working on a crib in his free time, as opposed to having one of the royal carpenters make it. Rapunzel started painting murals on the walls of the nursery, and her parents shared the news with the kingdom: the princess was expecting a baby. For the second time in about two decades, the kingdom grew excited for the arrival of a new royal baby (the first time had been for Rapunzel's birth.)

The happiness and excitement lasted but a few months. Eugene had just finished his training, thank goodness, and had plans to leave with Rapunzel's father on a quick trip to Denmark next week. It would be his first time away from Rapunzel since the war, but the King said it was necessary to continue the training, so he had accepted. He would later be surprised to know that, after he ended up canceling his plans to go to Denmark, he would wish that he could have gone. Going to Denmark would ultimately mean that Rapunzel was fine and nothing had happened to cause him to have to cancel to stay home. Right after the first trimester and shortly before her twentieth birthday, Rapunzel fell ill. It was seemingly nothing to worry about, so Eugene entrusted her to her parents and the castle nurse to go to work – continuing his work on the crib for the baby.

On impulse, he took a pit stop at Attilla's cupcake shop on his way home from his work, picking up a cupcake just for his wife. He also wanted to tell the thugs about their big news, just in case they hadn't already heard. They were ecstatic. Big-Nose, the thug with a dream of finding the right wife, grinned and took his wife-of-one-year's hand. "She's five months along - when they're born and old enough, we'll have to arrange playdates." The shy brunette giggled, peeking up at her husband with her brown eyes shining in a similar way that Rapunzel's did every time she spoke of their own future child.

When he came home to the castle that evening, pleased to tell Rapunzel that the crib – engraved delicately in the same simple style that she had painted the room – was finally done, the Queen met him at the private entrance.  
"Good evening," he welcomed her, turning away to kick his boots off and stick them in the armoire, cupcake still in his hand. "How's Rapunzel?"  
When the Queen didn't respond, he turned to look at her, concern instantly filling every bit of his body. "She had a miscarriage today. When the nurse was tending to her, she said it unwise to attempt bearing any more children. It's–"  
Eugene immediately broke her off before she could continue. "Where is she?"  
"I already told James to cancel the trip to Denmark. She's locked in her room. She hasn't eaten all day, and will not let anyone in." she said, her distress now very apparent in how she wrung her hands.  
With that, Eugene rushed for the hallway leading to their room. He felt terrible – he should have stayed home with her; should have been there for her. When he got to the bedroom door, he tried the knob. Still locked.  
He knocked on the door. A muffled cry pleading 'whoever it was at the door to let her be for now' came from the room. Sighing, he went to the armoire and retrieved two hair pins. If he couldn't pick the lock, he'd go outside and climb in through the window.  
Luckily, the door pushed open after a bit of fiddling with the lock. Rapunzel flew upright in bed, her eyes surprised. Her hair was messy; the neckline of her simple, loose dress off-center, and dark rings encircled her puffy, red eyes. Her nose and cheeks were red, a stark contrast to the rest of her face, which was pale. "H-how did you…"  
"Perks of being an ex-thief," he pocketed the hair pins–in case he needed them later – and strode over to the bed, setting the cupcake on the stand beside it.  
She sighed. She couldn't even bring herself to tell her husband what had happened today.  
"Your mother told me what happened today. I'm so sorry, sweetheart," he couldn't stand the despairing expression she gave him. Sitting down beside her, he tried to put an arm around her, but she pulled away.  
"Don't,"  
"What?" he asked, confused. Was she mad because he hadn't been there for her today?  
"I-I'm worthless! The nurse told me I wouldn't be able to successfully have a baby. I let my parents down, a-and the entire _kingdom_…I let you down," she whispered the last part. "I-I can't have children."  
Eugene reached to stroke her hair, ignoring the fact that she tried to avoid his touch. She somehow blamed herself for the miscarriage, found herself useless, and didn't feel like she deserved comfort. "Hey. We'll figure things out. The doctor said something might go wrong, so it's not your fault. A lot of women go through things like this."  
"How would you know?" she asked sharply.  
"My mother," he said quietly. "Only she died from the complications."  
She sucked in a deep breath, immediately feeling worse. "I-I'm so sorry-"  
"It's okay. But don't blame yourself, alright?" he reached to pull her to his side, and she finally relaxed up against him. The metaphorical dam broke, and she buried her face into his vest, sobbing harshly and elaborating on every single upsetting thought she'd held in all day. Eugene would never let her know it, but he cried with her – between seeing his wife in such a state and knowing that they likely wouldn't have kids tore him up pretty badly. He held her as close as possible, letting her cry and when she finally shouted out of anger towards herself, he shook his head when her parents appeared at the door, letting them know he could take care of her.  
About an hour later, neither of them had a tear left in either of them. When Rapunzel finally met his eyes with her own swollen ones, he promptly wiped her cheeks with his thumbs.  
"It'll be okay," he said, his voice thick with emotion.  
"I know," she cleared her throat and took a deep, shuddering breath, staring down at her lap with a dull expression.  
He heard a gentle tap on the door, followed by "Dinner," so he stood out of bed.  
"C'mon," he nodded his head towards the door, but she shook her head, her hand resting on her stomach. "Huh-uh. You've got to eat, sweetheart."  
"If I eat, I'm scared I'll throw up. I'm too u-upset."  
"You have to try, though. If it doesn't make you feel good, you can stop. Okay?" She gave him a mild frown, but when he held his hands out to her, she took them and shakily stood up anyway. "That's my girl."  
He promptly pulled her into another hug before straightening the neckline of her dress. She ran her brush through her hair and then silently went for the door. Eugene opened it for her, and they walked silently through the castle, headed for the dining hall.  
Her parents stood to greet her, but she couldn't even muster up a small smile in return. Her eyes watered once more, and her parents quickly moved to hug her.  
"I had the chefs make hazelnut soup for you, darling. How are you feeling?" her mother asked as soon as she had pulled away.  
"Thank you," she said quietly, although she looked completely disinterested in the bowl set in front of her chair at the table. "I'm feeling okay."  
She sat, fiddling with the spoon in her bowl more so than actually eating. Eugene slipped his hand under the table and found hers, giving it a squeeze. Her parents talked – but as soon as the Queen tried to say something about the miscarriage, Rapunzel stood up and left the room. She couldn't bear the thought of sitting through some speech about how it was normal. She felt like it wasn't, and she knew that she wouldn't provide a child for her family – she wouldn't _have _a family of her own! She wondered how she could give the announcement to her entire kingdom. She could hardly even see that she'd eventually feel less heartbroken about it. How could she even be so upset about a baby she had never even held in her arms, anyway? All she knew was that she couldn't stand herself.


	25. Chapter 25: Adoption (Part 1)

A month passed, and Rapunzel was slowly turning back into her normal self. That was when the Queen finally spoke to her, when they were both working out in the garden during a nice July afternoon.  
"Darling girl, what you went through was normal. It was almost to be expected, but it never even crossed my mind to tell you until it was too late."  
"What?" the princess turned her attention away from the small flowers she was planting in a terracotta pot. She studied her mother with a guarded curiosity.  
"The inability to have children," she said quietly, "along with complications and miscarriages, is common in my side of the family. My grandmother only had one boy and one girl. Her mother only had two children, dying when she had the third. My own mother struggled with two miscarriages before she gave up on having any more children aside from me. Your great-great-aunt was unable to have any at all. You were a miracle – we were almost ready to give up on a family when I got the news that I was pregnant. I faced complications shortly before your birth, and almost died – that's why we went in search for the golden flower. The same flower that gave you your healing powers," she said. "It's due to our inherent small stature. All of the women on my side of the family are small all over, like you and I. Some aren't strong enough, some simply can't handle the stress of carrying the baby, and some die due to complications, if they haven't miscarried. "  
Rapunzel bit her lip. "So it's kind of a family issue?"  
"Yes," she nodded. "I wanted to tell you after your miscarriage, but you never wanted to hear anything of it –understandably so."  
"I'm sorry," she turned back to the plant, patting dirt gently around the base of it.  
"It's alright, dear. I just wanted you to know that you weren't alone, and that it was…almost to be expected. I'm sorry it slipped my mind until it was too late to warn you."  
The princess shook her head. "It's okay. I would have wanted to try having a baby anyway. I…I just feel so useless. The kingdom won't have an heir, and Eugene…well, we both wanted kids."  
The Queen nodded and fell silent for a few minutes. When she spoke up again, she spoke slowly and quietly. "Well, there's always adoption."  
Rapunzel's head flew up, and she looked at her mother. "But would the child be accepted? Would it be able to one day run the kingdom? I mean...I don't care either way and we might want to adopt anyway, but I don't want a child to grow up as a prince or princess, only to be told that it cannot run the kingdom due to some silly rule."  
"Darling, you broke tradition and married a common thief. I'm sure there's a loophole."  
Her face brightened. "I'll talk with Eugene about it tonight!"  
The Queen smiled, happy to see a glimpse of her daughter's former enthusiasm back. Brushing the dirt off of her hands (and dirtying her skirt), she reached to pull her daughter into an awkward hug.

That evening, Rapunzel practically bowled Eugene over the second he walked through the door to the castle.  
He laughed, wrapping her up in a tight hug. "Hey, beautiful. It's good to see you're in a cheerful mood today!"  
She gave him a quick hug, but wormed away from him. Her eyes were hopeful. "Mother was talking with me today, and…well, among a lot of other things, she suggested that we adopt a child. She said it would be acceptable."  
Eugene's eyebrows flew up. "Is that so? And are you sure that's the route you want to go?"  
"It might be the safest route if we want kids," she said, before explaining the rest of what her mother had told her today.  
When she finished, Eugene nodded. "Well, it'd take time, I'm sure – but it would be fine by me to adopt. Especially if I get to give an orphan the ultimate thing I had never received as a kid – a home."  
She nodded, smiling. Her heart was thundering with excitement for the first time in a long while. "We could talk with the orphanage director tomorrow, maybe, and-"  
"You mean you're ready to move on?"  
She paused. "Are you?"  
"I'm more worried about you. I took it hard, but I've accepted it. You took it harder than I did because you thought something was wrong with you and you thought it was your fault."  
She nodded, licking her lips. "I don't think I'll ever quite be fine with the miscarriage, but I also know that moving forward will make me think of it less."  
He nodded, slipping his arms around her waist. "Then if you want to go talk to the orphanage director tomorrow, who would I be to say no?"  
"A rational human being, maybe," Rapunzel said, half-teasing.  
Eugene grinned. "It's so good to see you happy again – just so you know."  
With that, he bent to give her a quick, sound kiss before leading her to the parlor, where her parents were sitting and waiting for the girl to update them on their plan.


	26. Chapter 26: A Little Girl (Part 2)

The next morning, Rapunzel and Eugene got up early. As soon as they ate breakfast, they headed out for the orphanage as quickly as they could.

When they got there, they were greeted – bombarded may be a better term – by babies crying, children screaming, laughing, and fighting. They all paused to greet the princess and her husband, and then the crazed mob came _towards_ them, begging for a story.  
Or two.  
Or three!  
Laughing, Rapunzel couldn't help but give in to the children's requests, scooping up a little girl that had clung to her plain green skirt with sticky fingers.  
With the child on her hip, she hurried to grab an apron that the young maid, Claire, offered her. She'd grown accustomed to wearing it: it kept her dress safe from stains when she did cleaning or cooking for the children. Next, she sat the child down beside her and allowed them to crowd around her and Eugene. They made up a story and told it together, much to the children's delight. Getting sidetracked, they played with the mob of children until it was time for their lunch, which Claire had been busy preparing.  
When the children dispersed for lunch, they headed for the orphanage office, which they had never before entered.

A stout woman heaved herself from her chair; curtsying hurriedly as she saw the princess and prince consort enter.  
"Good morning, your highnesses," she said, clearing her throat. "What brings you?"  
"Oh, don't be so formal. I come here quite often to read to the children and help out; I'm not an uppity princess-type," Rapunzel laughed quietly, gesturing to her simple dress and the orphanage's apron that covered the front of it. "We're actually here to discuss adopting a child."  
"I thought you were pregnant," the woman stared at her, her pale eyes dropping immediately to the princess's waist.  
Rapunzel bit her lip, her hand instinctively moving to press against her stomach as she thought of the baby. "I miscarried. The nurses said it might be dangerous to try again, due to a family history on my mother's side." She said it quietly, and the woman's eyes widened.  
"I didn't hear. Apologies for your loss, deary," the woman said gruffly.  
Eugene glanced at his wife, immediately reaching to take the hand she still held to her stomach and breaking her out of her thoughts. She sucked in a deep breath and glanced up at him, offering a small smile.  
"Anyway," Eugene continued. "We were considering adoption."  
The woman stared at Eugene, narrowing her eyes. "You used to live here, didn't ya? A young lad at that time, though."  
He chuckled, wondering how it could have taken the woman that long to figure it out. "Yep. You probably remember me because-"  
"You were always getting sent to my office for discipline because you wouldn't heed bedtimes and always tried to run away. You always had a book in your hands, too."  
He nodded. "Yeah…I still read that one book."  
"You're a grown man!" she laughed. "That's a child's book."  
"Well, I'll be reading it to our kids sometime, so I'll have an excuse. Willing that we can adopt, of course," Eugene tried to steer the conversation back to why they had come. Mrs. Brigsly had a hard time paying attention. He'd used that to his advantage quite a bit when he was younger.

"Oh, yes. Of course. Well, you'll have it relatively easy to adopt because of your status. Since you've done work here a lot and you're, of course, the royal family, we'll pardon you to a certain degree – we know you are both caring and gentle. We'll still have to submit your request in to the Court of Law, of course. Procedure's procedure, y'know? But that's about it."  
Eugene _did _know. More than he probably wanted to know, having had to go through the schooling to become king - therefore needing to memorize every. Single. Law.  
They both agreed, and the woman bustled over to her desk, pulling out a thick book. Flipping it over to a certain section, she read them aloud to Eugene and Rapunzel. All of the reading was information regarding how the adoption request would be handled, and how unbiased 'professionals' would deem whether or not they were acceptable parents. Of course, they knew they would pass this; even with Eugene's now-clean record, they had never committed any form of abuse or violence. It would take simply twenty-four hours to submit the formal request; there were no other requests at this time to review, so theirs would be received and reviewed quickly.  
"And then you've just gotta wait for the right child to come along, my dears," she finished.  
Rapunzel nodded, nibbling her lip. The woman scrawled something on a blank piece of paper, prompting them both to sign at the bottom of the page, handing the feather pen over.

As Eugene was sloppily writing his signature, a man burst into the office, a wailing bundle held firmly in his arms.  
"You the director o' this place?" he asked Mrs. Brigsly, disregarding the princess he'd nearly knocked over as he pushed forward to the desk.  
"Yes. And you are..?"  
"Jamison. This is my newborn. Want to drop her off here."  
"We're full up," she shook her head. "And why would you want to drop her off here?"  
"She killed m'girl," he looked down at the baby, who was crying with increasing intensity. Finally, he noticed Rapunzel and Eugene and held the bundle out abruptly, nearly dropping the child into Rapunzel's arms. "Take the wretched thing, servant!"  
Eugene drew himself to his full height, not caring that the man didn't know of their royal status but more upset because he'd called his wife a servant.  
Rapunzel touched his arm to let him know not to get too irked, and looked down at the baby in her arms.  
"What happened, and how did a newborn kill your wife?"  
"She had compl'cations, died. If you don't take it, I'll throw it in th' river."  
Rapunzel bit back a gasp. How could someone drown their newborn child, even if it had been the cause of complications that killed your wife?  
"Rapunzel, Eugene - please step outside of the room, please. Take that baby with you," Mrs. Brigsly shook her head when Rapunzel tried to hand the screaming baby to the plump woman.

Rapunzel seemed slightly overwhelmed by the crying baby, especially because she had just found a stain of dried blood on the blanket.  
"He didn't wrap it in anything except for what he used to swaddle it when it was born, likely," Eugene told her, holding his hands out. "Want me to take it?"  
Rapunzel gently moved the baby into his arms and studied the screaming child. "How old do you think it is?"  
"Oh, geez, Rapunzel - probably only a few hours," he looked around the room. "Can you find a clean linen and - maybe dampen a cloth for me? I don't think he took the time to even clean it off very well. Probably didn't know _how _to, he seemed borderline drunk."  
Rapunzel nodded, hurrying off to get the things Eugene had requested. Claire was busy cleaning up after lunch, so she had to find and get them herself, which didn't take too long. She watched as he very carefully dabbed at the baby's fingers and toes; behind its ears and through its shock of dark hair. Finally, he gently and expertly wrapped the baby tightly in the clean linen and cradled it, trying to soothe its continued, loud sobs. Rapunzel peered at the baby, talking quietly to it as Eugene held it. She could hear the man, Jamison, shouting in the office, and grimaced. The baby grabbed her fingers, holding one firmly in its tiny fist, and finally, its cries subsided.

"What'll happen to the baby?" she finally asked quietly, glancing up at Eugene.  
He sighed. "They'll nurse it with a feeding bottle and goat's milk, probably. That's what they did with a couple of babies that came in as newborns. Both of them came because their mothers were too young, they were born out of wedlock, and they didn't want to deal with them. They passed away, though. Too weak, and they didn't get enough attention because everyone was too busy with the other kids."  
Rapunzel sucked in a deep breath. "Oh…" She glanced back at the baby, who had fallen asleep sucking a corner of the linen. Its eyes were squeezed shut, and a few strands of dark hair poked from the blanket.  
Mrs. Brigsly bustled back into the office, followed by a red-faced Jamison. The man pushed past them without a single glance towards them or his baby. Mrs. Brigsley plucked the baby quickly from Eugene's arms, leaving to put it in a cradle with the other children. Rapunzel could hear its cries echoing back to them, having been woken, and something twisted inside of her. When she - Mrs. Brigsly - returned, she tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "Now, we'll get that form sent in – a guard is coming today to collect this week's request forms, so you're in luck. Of course, as I said, yours is the only request for the week. As soon as that's approved, you're clear. That'll take less than twenty-four hours, and you will be notified at the castle. Now, what type of child are you wanting? Age and gender, obviously."  
Eugene looked at Rapunzel. They had never considered those factors.  
"Well…ah…I don't have any preferences, really, but I think it'd be really nice to have a baby around."  
Eugene agreed, and Mrs. Brigsly laughed in a sad tone. "Well, you've met one of the babies up for adoption already. We won't give the option to adopt the child to the girl's parents. Her father beat her before they disowned and kicked her out of their cottage, so they would be deemed unfit, even if they would want the baby. Assuming they won't, though. The baby was actually born out of wedlock, all of which Jamison stated after you left," she said.  
With that, they exchanged pleasantries and left.

* * *

That night, Rapunzel couldn't sleep. Thoughts of the orphaned baby plagued her thoughts. They had gotten the adoption request approval at around seven that evening, but had not discussed it further. Her parents, of course, knew of the accepted adoption request, and were fine with it, of course. But Rapunzel just couldn't stop thinking about the child. She knew it was probably just because she'd felt so bad for it - not that she didn't feel terrible for _all _of the orphans. She just felt...she didn't know quite how to explain it.  
Sighing, she squeezed her eyes shut, trying to block her thoughts.  
Eugene, who was curled up behind her, reached out and pulled her up against him. "You still awake?"  
"Yeah," she whispered.  
"What's up?"  
"I just can't…I don't know. For some reason, I can't stop thinking about-"  
"The baby?" Eugene filled in.  
"Yes. Why are you still up?"  
"Same reason," he chuckled.  
They quieted for a moment, and Eugene was the first one to break the silence with a quiet sentence. "We could go back tomorrow and ask if we could adopt that baby."  
She sat up in bed. "Do you think that's what we should do?"  
He sat up as well, furrowing his brows in thought. "Well, I think it's more than a coincidence, the fact that we were there and you literally got it handed over to you."  
"I…" she trailed off. "I was kind of thinking about the same thing, but I thought maybe I was just…being me."  
He nodded. "We'll talk it over with your parents in the morning. And I suppose we'll finish talking it over with each other in the morning, too!"  
She giggled. "Yeah, that might be a good idea." She flopped over backwards in bed, staring up at the ceiling. "Oh…I'm so excited now. We might be able to start a family!"  
He grinned, leaning over her to pepper her cheeks with quick kisses. She laughed, pushing at his chest until he quit. "I take it you might be a little excited, too?"  
He laid down beside her, turning to look at her face, which was barely visible. "Of course I am. But I'm also glad to see you happy again."


	27. Chapter 27: Aisling Rose Fitzherbert

The next morning, they ate a fast breakfast before explaining to Rapunzel's parents what they hoped to do. They were both supportive of it, of course.  
"Then let's go!" Rapunzel cried excitedly. She was way too excited to wait. She was also just a wee bit anxious to adopt the baby; she was scared that it would die like the ones Eugene had told her about. She didn't even remember if it was a girl or a boy, but it didn't matter to her. She grabbed Eugene's arm and fairly dragged him from his seat.  
"Wait up," he laughed. "We need to figure out what we need to pick up in town, too. Babies need a lot of stuff."  
Her eyes widened. "O-oh. I'm glad you have half of a brain,"  
He chuckled. "You're just excited, as you should be. I am, too, don't worry." Turning to the King and Queen, he asked, "What…what exactly do babies _need_? It's been a long time since I was in the orphanage, and they don't necessarily provide everything."  
Her mother burst out laughing. "Oh, darlings….I'm not the one to ask! I only had Rapunzel in my care for one evening."  
"But we probably have some of her things in the storage room," the King added quietly. "We can look. But you'd need a feeding bottle and clothes – and cloth diapers. I'm fairly certain that Rapunzel's bedding and mobile are still in our possession. We've given quite a lot of it away to some families in need." he explained.  
Rapunzel nodded, her eyes wide as she took in all of the new information. "And...well…what would it drink?"  
"Goat's milk would be best," her mother nodded. "The farmers' market should sell glass bottles of it."  
The young princess looked towards Eugene as he stood. "Well, princess…the next step is to go see what we can get ourselves into."  
A smile split her face, but her parents requested hugs before she took off for the door, Eugene following in her wake.

Two guards met them at the door, offering to accompany them so they would have a peaceful experience in the town square, but they refused. The village folk were used to seeing Rapunzel and Eugene out and about; they wouldn't swarm them. When they got to the orphanage once more, Claire met them at the door, carrying a large basket full of wet bedding.  
"Oh!" she gasped, dropping the basket in her surprise. "I'm so sorry—"  
"I'm sorry – I should have been watching where I was going," Rapunzel giggled, bending to help her pick up the dripping bedding.  
"If you don't mind me asking, are you back for Jamison's baby?"  
Rapunzel froze. How did she know? "Um…"  
Eugene filled in for her. "Yes, if all goes well..?" the sentence tilted up into a question as the worst scenarios filled his mind.  
The woman's thin face beamed as she tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear, revealing dark brown eyes. "Good. And best of luck to you! I'm happy to know that that poor little thing will have a chance instead of staying here until who-knows-when."  
She actually pulled Rapunzel into an impulsive hug before scooping up her basket, thanking her for the help picking the bedding up.  
When they went through the door and into the office, Mrs. Brigsly met them with a greeting. "Your application was accepted. There wasn't any doubt that it wouldn't be, of course," she finished.  
"Yes," Rapunzel nodded. "And…well.."  
"Let me guess: Jamison's baby?"  
"Huh?" it was Eugene's turn to be surprised. Mrs. Brigsly wasn't the sharpest, quickest tool in the shed. She didn't usually pick up on much.  
She shook her head. "Deary, I know the look of an adoptive family when they've met the right child. Also, I was pretty much praying that you'd come back. I know you'll take care and treat the baby right, won't be abusive like some of our adoptive families end up being. It would kill me to see that child fall into the wrong hands."  
"We don't even know if it's a girl or a boy…but we just felt like…"  
"Like we needed to come back," Eugene finished, and Rapunzel let a small smile go across her face. Eugene didn't often elaborate on gut feelings.  
"Yes. Well, the poor little dear's been fussy, so the best of luck to ya. Anyway, we'll get some more papers written up and signed, and then she's as good as yours."  
As soon as she finished her sentence, she had whipped a long sheet of flimsy paper out, dipped her feather pen into the inkwell, and started scratching a long sentence out. She explained that, with their signatures, it meant that they accepted the conditions of adoption that had been read off to them the day before, and it was the last thing necessary to legally bind them and give the child over into their care; next, they paid the adoption fees.  
After that, Mrs. Brigsly left, and a moment later, returned with a sobbing bundle. "Here's your little deary,"  
Rapunzel hesitated, just slightly intimidated. She'd held babies before, and loved them, of course, but suddenly, the knowledge that this screaming bundle of joy was theirs to care for made her freeze, her eyes wide with a mix of excitement, awe, and terror. Eugene, luckily, caught this, and took the baby from Mrs. Brigsley's chunky arms.  
She continued babbling on. "I'm happy to know that she will be in good hands. Now, you can get a feeding-bottle from…ah…you can get them from the specialty store here in town, I'm fairly certain."  
"Okay," Rapunzel nodded. "What's her name?" Her heart was tripping along at a fairly fast pace; it was all becoming real now. They were parents.  
Mrs. Brigsley looked embarrassed, her plump cheeks turning red. "Well…ah…yesterday was so busy and...we didn't name her."  
Rapunzel nodded again, glancing towards Eugene. He was purely enraptured by the baby in his arms, but he caught her glance and smiled. "Well, we'll take care of that."  
"Alrighty. Well, you're all set, dears. I hope to see you all around again soon!"  
They both nodded. "Of course. I'm sure I'll be back with Eugene, if not – I don't think we'll quit volunteering anytime soon!" Rapunzel reassured her.  
"Good. The kids do appreciate it. Now, I suppose I'll let you get out of here before she gets hungry again," she nodded towards the baby, and Rapunzel and Eugene exchanged pleasantries before leaving.

When they were out of the orphanage, Eugene immediately stopped. "Do you want to hold her?"  
The baby had quieted her whimpers, but Rapunzel still felt a little intimidated for some reason.  
"What if I-"  
"You'll do fine, sweetie, I've seen you with the babies at the orphanage. She's no different." he grinned, and Rapunzel nibbled her lip as he eased the baby into her arms. "Just support her head – you know how to hold them."  
She nodded, staring with about the same amount of curiosity and wonder as the baby was her. What would the baby be like as she grows older? Would she have a fondness for painting or reading? Would she be adventurous? Shy? Rebellious? The child's brown eyes stared up into her green ones for a tense moment that seemed like an eternity, but then she yawned, squeezing her eyes shut and burrowing her nose into the thin blanket.  
Eugene couldn't help but notice the adoring smile that crossed his wife's face, and he slipped his arm around her shoulders. "See? You're doing fine. Now, we need to head into town."

In the bustling town square, Rapunzel kept the baby's ears blocked by pressing one side of her head into her chest and using her hand to gently cover the other ear, letting her remain asleep through the yells, laughs, and clopping of horse hooves. The newborn specialty store was their first stop. No one else had a store dedicated solely to babies in the entire country, and the shelves were stocked high with supplies. Rapunzel carried the baby while Eugene did all the reaching: quite a few of the items they needed were on high shelves to prevent someone from stealing them as easily. This included the silver feeding-bottle. As they were browsing through the tiny clothes, in delicate shades of pastels that Rapunzel just loved, the baby woke up, took one deep breath, and started wailing.  
Rapunzel whirled around to look at Eugene, who was looking at something on a higher shelf. He looked over at her, realizing she looked about as ready to cry as the baby was.  
"Wh-what did I do?"  
He chuckled. "You didn't do anything. She's probably hungry. Here, let me take her. Why don't you see if they have any goat's milk?"  
Rapunzel nodded, trading the baby for the feeding-bottle and the few other items in Eugene's arms, and then hurried for the desk where the merchant waited.  
"You've got a hungry baby, I hear," the old woman, with a weathered face and a wart on her nose, smiled and nodded in the direction of the baby's increasingly loud cries.  
"Yes," she gasped, laughing quietly. "Might you have any goat's milk?"  
The woman took her spectacles up, nodding. "We can get some right fresh for ya. Hugh!" she called, and a young boy in muddy clothes came racing inside. "Oh, dear – I told you not to play in the mud! We'll save that discussion for later, though – get a clean pail and milk Nanny, won't you?" He nodded, grabbing a pail and racing back out the door. The woman finally turned back to Rapunzel, reaching to adjust her spectacles on her nose. She gasped when the princess came into focus. "Your majesty! Hello! But...I thought you miscarried..?"  
Rapunzel bit her lip, her hand straying to her stomach once more. "I did. The castle doctor said it wouldn't be wise to attempt having children…so we adopted a baby today."  
The woman grimaced with pity. "My sister went through the same thing, poor dear. Bless you for adopting, though – I wouldn't think that the royal family would adopt a peasant baby."  
"She'll be treated like our own," Rapunzel reassured. "We're both blessed to have her in our care."  
She nodded, but then turned to see the young boy, who had barreled through the door, droplets of milk flying in his haste.  
"Thank you, dear. Now, you may go back to what you were doing – but don't you _dare_ touch that mud! Your mother's bound to have a hissy."  
He nodded, but didn't look as though he would heed the woman's warning. He instead turned his attention to Rapunzel.  
"Why's the princess here, granny?" he asked, pointing.  
"Now, it's not nice to point, dear! She's got a baby," she nodded. "Adopted one, like how your mum adopted you."  
He gave a toothy smile. "Someday, I'm gonna be a knight!" he addressed Rapunzel boldly.  
"Now—" the boy's grandmother started to reprimand him once more, but Rapunzel moved towards him and knelt in front of him.  
"What do you mean? You're already a knight! You were obviously fighting some dreadful beast, and that's how you got so dirty, wasn't it?" she asked, playing along. He nodded, wide eyed and suddenly stricken with shyness by how close he was to the princess of Corona. With that, he turned on his heel and tore out of the door, yelling to one of his friends.  
"Oh, he'll be going on about that for weeks," the woman chuckled. "He's always wanted to meet the princess."

"He's a sweetheart," Rapunzel laughed, but turned to glance towards a loud cry. Eugene looked a little harried, so she grinned. "I'd better get this paid for before Eugene loses it. He looks a little lost."  
The woman chuckled again, and Rapunzel paid for the feeding-bottle as well as the warm, fresh milk, and watched as the woman demonstrated how to fill the bottle, tying a thin, clean linen over the top. The baby, she explained, would suck on the linen and the milk would come out and not choke her, unlike if the tip would be left uncovered – then the milk would just drain out in a hurry. Thanking her, she rushed back to Eugene and the tiny, crying bundle.  
"Hey…I've got something for you," she took the baby back and offered the feeding-bottle. She grabbed at it and opened her mouth, sucking at it greedily. She hiccupped quietly, watching Rapunzel's face as she worked at the bottle.  
As the baby ate, Eugene resumed going through the clothes: they finally decided on a few simple outfits, and after paying for them, a copious amount of cloth diapers and a few blankets, they left for the farmer's market. Eugene carried the brown paper bags filled with their goods and Rapunzel minced along beside him, carrying the tiny newborn, who was watching everything with sleepy eyes. At the farmer's market, they bought a days' worth of goats' milk, and actually ended up buying a nanny goat, which they would keep in the royal stable.

"Just wait until my father goes to visit the horses and sees a goat!" Rapunzel giggled, watching as the large brown-and-white goat meandered along beside them, tied to a rope that Eugene held.  
He laughed. "I'd be willing to hide out in the stable in the hay, just to see that."  
"I hope they'll be okay with us buying a goat. I mean…it _is _for their adoptive granddaughter. She needs fresh milk, and we couldn't possibly go out every single day for fresh milk from the farmer's market until she's weaned."  
"They'll be fine with it, I'm sure," he said…but a cheeky grin covered his face soon after. "But I can guarantee the looks on their faces will be priceless. A goat in the royal stable."  
"It could be the Royal Nanny-Goat of Corona," Rapunzel joked, trying to deadpan but failing.

The rest of the day sped by. Emilie swept the baby away, giving her a bath while Rapunzel, Eugene, and the King got the nursery set up. Rapunzel's old mobile, bedding, and thick blanket, as well as two fancy dresses, were left in the storage room, so they were all brought out for the child. The baby was dressed and swaddled up in a purple blanket, and some of the goat's milk was heated with a small fire and a kettle, just in time for her next feeding. The rest of the day was spent with the entire family coddling the newborn. Of course, the baby was content to be held, and the King and Queen barely let Rapunzel or Eugene hold her for most of the day. They had barely even gotten to hold Rapunzel before she was kidnapped, so they were taking the opportunity to hold their adoptive granddaughter and running with it.

Eugene's hand-carved cradle was moved into his and Rapunzel's room, bedded down with Rapunzel's old bedding and the thick blanket. Pascal claimed it as his very own bed, but wasn't too pleased to discover the squirming, crying bundle that actually resided in it.  
When the King and Queen retired to bed, Rapunzel and Eugene went as well, taking their treasure and depositing her in the cradle meant for their own baby.  
"I have a surprise for you, but it'll have to wait until tomorrow. I didn't tell you about it, because I planned to surprise you when our baby was born. It's still at the wood shop."  
"Oh?" she smiled curiously, and he chuckled.  
"You'll have to wait for tomorrow." She tried her pout that usually ended up with him spilling the beans, but he turned his attention to the baby, now dressed in a plain white nightgown. "Tell mum she's gotta learn how to be patient."  
"Don't you turn her on me already," she giggled, going over to scoop the irresistible bundle out of the cradle. Sitting down beside Eugene on their bed, she studied the baby's face. "What's this little one going to be named?"  
"My mum's name was Rose, and your mother's is Laurel," he offered. "Both are flower names…and you were given your powers by a flower."  
"But we fell for each other because of a dream…" she trailed off, watching the baby study her. Eugene watched them study one another, grinning as he realized he was watching Rapunzel watch the baby watch her. "Aisling Rose?"  
"Huh?" he cleared his throat, breaking out of his thoughts.  
"Aisling Rose. Aisling is Irish for dream, and Rose is your mother's name. Aisling Rose Fitzherbert."  
Eugene tried not to seem excited by it, but he immediately thought it fit. "Yeah, that's a neat name," he managed, but the pleased grin betrayed him.  
"Oh, you love it and you know it!" Rapunzel laughed, nudging him with her shoulder. "Aisling Rose. It sounds beautiful. Just like you, huh?"  
"Were you directing that to the baby or to me?" Eugene teased, pointing out her abrupt change in who she was talking to.  
She clucked her tongue. "He's silly and full of himself, isn't he?" the baby waved a fist, growing irritated with the conversation. "And you're probably sleepy, right?"

Sometime through the night, the baby woke, crying and wanting fed again. Eugene got up with her and carted her off into the castle's kitchen, where he somehow managed to start a small fire, heat the milk in a kettle, and pour it into the feeding-bottle while holding Aisling with one arm.  
Rapunzel woke up sometime after he left, and stumbled sleepily out to the kitchen herself, rubbing her eyes. She paused when she heard him talking, peering in through the door to see her husband and adopted daughter by the soft glow of the fire beneath the kettle as well as the candle on one of the counters.  
"…see, we don't have much experience at all. Her parents don't even have much experience with babies. But we'll try our best, I promise. And you'll have to put up with me – Rapunzel's doing fine, but I'm sure I'll mess up some way. I'm learning, too. But we'll love you, and I promise you'll never feel different because you were adopted; and you'll never feel unloved or unwanted. I promise you that – I don't want you to ever feel any of those things, not like I did. And-" he broke off, setting the bottle aside when she finished. "-you'll be a princess. Weird, right? We're in the same boat that way. I was just an orphan, too, and a thief! Rapunzel was stolen as a baby – when she was just about as little as you. So we're definitely an odd little family, but we'll make it work. Deal?" he eased the blanket away from the baby's face a bit more, and she grabbed his thumb, wrapping her hand around it. An expression of pure adoration washed over his face, and he decided right then and there that he'd go to the ends of the earth to protect his little family. He already knew that, but it just set in. He glanced up, and his eyes widened when he saw Rapunzel leaning against the door frame. "Uh…how long have you been there?"  
"Long enough to realize how great of a guy you are, how spectacular of a father you'll be, and how blessed we are to have this little one in our care," she smiled, padding across the room to peek at the baby's tiny face. Her grin widened when the baby reached to clutch at her fingers, and Eugene slipped the bundle into his wife's arms.  
"You want to take her? I'll be back in a few minutes." he said.  
"What're you going to do?"  
"Midnight snack," he said sheepishly, "those rolls were really good, and I noticed there were a couple left over in the toss-out bin."  
She laughed quietly, shaking her head as she headed back to their room. She cuddled Aisling until she drifted back to sleep, and then eased her back into her cradle before slipping back into their own bed, checking to make sure Pascal was still snoozing on one of the pillows. Eugene crept in a few minutes later, taking a peek at the baby before blowing out his candle and crawling into bed himself, immediately pulling Rapunzel up against him.  
"We're so lucky," she mumbled. "I love you."  
He answered her, but she was already asleep.


	28. Chapter 28: A Trip and a Child

The next morning, they woke up at about five AM to a wailing baby. Rapunzel quickly heated up some milk for her, and Eugene fed her while Rapunzel dressed behind the dressing-curtain. When she was dressed, she plopped down on the edge of the bed, watching as he carefully rubbed her back, trying to burp her. Unfortunately, he didn't have a burp cloth, and she spewed milk all down his back. He squirmed, grimacing and wrinkling his nose.  
"I…did not think that through," he cleared his throat, his back stiff. Holding back a giggle, Rapunzel quickly took Aisling from him, letting him go change. She couldn't hold back her snickers, though. He popped his head around the dressing-curtain. "Hey. Just wait until that happens to you. You won't be snickering, I guarantee you."  
She laughed. "I know. But your face was priceless, dear."  
Aisling watched her, eyes large as she hiccupped a couple of times before she started crying again. Rapunzel turned her attention back to her and gently wiped at her mouth before leaving to the nursery to get her dressed and change her cloth diaper.

When everyone was clean of milk, dressed, and presentable, they made their way down to the dining hall to eat. A maid took the feeding-bottle to scrub it out, and another slipped outside to milk the nanny-goat, which Rapunzel's parents had yet to find out about. All of the maids and stable hands were in on it; nobody would say a word until the King stumbled upon the goat.

The King and Queen greeted them, as usual, with a good morning, and the King promptly reached to take Aisling from Rapunzel.  
"How did she sleep?" the Queen asked.  
"She was up and down through the night," Eugene said. "But she was pretty good, I guess. She's very vocal when she gets hungry."  
The Queen smiled, although it was almost melancholy. "She's such a dear. Rapunzel, darling, I hate to even ask you, but will you be okay by yourself for a couple of weeks? We recently recieved a letter notifying us of the wedding of the prince of Denmark, and the ship would need to leave tomorrow morning. I apologize, it slipped my mind yesterday."  
Rapunzel immediately shook her head. "We'll be fine! You'll have to give them my congratulations."  
"Are you sure?" this was the first time since Rapunzel's return that the Queen had left with the King to another country.  
"Yes, mother," she laughed. "It's not like I'll be all alone!"  
"Okay," she said. "I just don't want to leave you if you're still uncertain about the whole parenting thing."  
"She won't be alone," Eugene said. "I was planning on requesting some time off of work at the wood shop, but since you're going to be gone, I can ask for two weeks."  
"But you don't have to," Rapunzel shook her head. "I could manage."  
"I know," he nodded. "Buuut I want to anyway."  
The conversation paused as a maid bustled in with the breakfast meal. She threw a smile and wiggled her fingers in a wave towards Aisling, but then turned to set the meal out on the table. After breakfast, the King announced he would be going outside to groom his horses, something he generally did before he left the country. Rapunzel flashed a small grin towards Eugene, and he shook his head slightly. The Queen immediately took the baby from her husband, and the rest of them just sat in the dining hall and discussed last-minute details of running the kingdom while they were gone.

Soon, the King burst through the door, a look of confusion on his face. "Laurel, since when do we have a goat?"  
"A _goat_?" she asked. "Are you sure you saw it correctly?"  
Rapunzel heard the muffled giggles of maids echoing down the hallway into the dining hall. She looked at Eugene and giggled herself.  
"We…ah…we took the liberty of purchasing a goat yesterday. Aisling will need fresh milk everyday, and we figured that having a goat of our own would be both cheaper and easier than going to market and buying bottles of it every day. I hope you don't mind," Rapunzel said when she had gained composure. "It's the official Nanny-Goat of Corona!"  
The King looked annoyed at first, but then he chuckled. "Yes, it's fine. You could've told us, though."  
"We thought it'd be funny to see your reaction," she explained.  
"I'm sure that was your husband's idea," he teased.  
"Well…it was a mutual decision," she laughed.  
"We'll make sure it gets its own stall. It chewed up some empty burlap bags last night, but that's as much damage as it did."  
"Okay," she tried to suppress another laugh, but failed when her father chuckled.  
After that, the King returned to the stable, and Eugene stood up out of his seat.  
"Well, I'd better go to the wood shop. I'll be picking up that surprise I promised you, and then I'll make sure there isn't any unfinished work I need to finish before time off. Okay?"  
"Okay," she stood up as well, smiling. "I'll see you later."  
"Yup – love you!" he bent to give her a quick kiss.  
"Love you too," she grinned, blushing when she looked over at her mother, who was taking in the scene with a goofy smile.  
Eugene cleared his throat and went over to Rapunzel's mother, bending to kiss Aisling's forehead. "And I'll see you later, cutie." She waved her arms and grabbed at the tip of his nose, to which he grinned before straightening and heading for the door.

When he left the room, Rapunzel sighed happily -without really even knowing it. The Queen laughed quietly, glancing back down at Aisling for a moment. "I'm so happy you married a man that makes you that happy. Much better than being forced into a marriage with someone you hardly know."  
Rapunzel turned towards her mother, blushing. "Yes. I'm so thankful for him. And for you guys for bending the rules a bit!"  
She shook her head, smiling and standing up. "I suppose you should take this little darling. I'm hoarding her. I need to get things set up for tomorrow."  
Rapunzel nodded, going over to scoop the baby from her arms. Aisling buried her face into the crook of Rapunzel's chest, quickly falling asleep. They both watched the child for a moment before exchanging silent, motherly smiles. The Queen put her hand over her heart. "I've just gotten my baby back, and here she is with one of her own."  
Rapunzel grinned. "Well, she's not mine, but…she'll be treated as it. I feel kind of odd calling her _my_ baby, though…I mean...it feels wrong to say she's mine when it was another girl that carried her and gave birth to her; did all the work. It feels like I'm taking credit or something. You know what I mean?"  
She nodded. "I know. But she's an orphan, and she'll grow up calling you her mom, so it's only correct to call her your daughter. It's okay. I'm sure you grew up calling Gothel your mother, and you her daughter?"  
"She just called me her 'flower'," Rapunzel shook her head. "But you have a point, and I did call her my mother. I feel so stupid for never realizing that."  
"How could you possibly know? She had you since you were as tiny as Aisling," she said, gesturing for Rapunzel to follow her to the master bedroom.  
"I know. But…how gullible was I?"  
"You were just very innocent and trusting – you still are. You never knew anything else!" she pulled some items from her armoire, setting them on the bed before retrieving a large burlap bag, which she would place the items into.  
Rapunzel nodded, looking down at Aisling. "Someday, should I tell her she's adopted?"  
Her mother hesitated. "It's up to you," she said finally. "But sometimes, it's not a good thing. Remember how you probably felt when you found out you'd been kidnapped? She might have a similar feeling; the feeling that she'd never known her parents and that she might have been lied to her whole life. Of course, the lies would be saying that you're her parents and she's your daughter, so it's a very different situation, but the possibility is still there. However, I will leave that up to you two. It might be better to ask Eugene about it."  
She nodded thoughtfully. "I'll talk to him later," she said.  
They were quiet after that; Rapunzel watched her mother prepare for the trip as she held the baby close. Pascal, who had finally woken and left the bedroom, came gliding into the room, clicking his tongue happily when he finally saw Rapunzel. She grinned, motioning to him with her head. He crawled onto the bed and up her arm, settling on her shoulder, even though he stared at the baby girl with disdain.

Later that day, she was still in the room watching her parents prepare when Eugene came into the room. She had fed the baby three times, and she was sleeping contentedly in her arms once more when Eugene knocked on the King and Queen's door, which was ajar.  
"Come in," the Queen called quietly.  
He smiled in greeting, scooping the sleeping baby from his wife's arms. "Hey, you," he whispered. "I've got two weeks off to spend with my two girls."  
"Great," Rapunzel grinned, reaching to peck his cheek.  
"How much has she eaten today?"  
"Three bottles' worth of milk," she said. "And two diaper changes."  
"Okay. You're on the ball," he said. "Want to follow me for a minute so I can show you what I brought home today?"  
"Okay..?" she stood up and looked curiously at him. He nodded his head, gesturing her to follow him, so she did.

In one corner of their room, a wooden rocking chair now sat. Thin, smooth and polished branches twisted around the sides, and thin slabs of wood made up the back, seat, and arm rests. He tossed a blanket over it, and held his hand out to it. "Viola."  
She giggled. "It's beautiful. It'll be nice to rock her to sleep with it. You're the most amazing person on earth!"  
"Well...," he winked, but then turned the tables. "I'm second-best."  
"Huh?"  
"I'm looking at the most amazing person on earth," he teased, just to see her blush. It worked, and she rolled her eyes to try to cover up her embarrassment.  
"You're terrible."  
"I know," he chuckled quietly, shifting the baby in his arms.


	29. Chapter 29: Tales of Eugene Fitzherbert

"Why _now_?"  
"Because," Rapunzel grinned, shifting the baby in her arms, "it's a slow day. Nothing to take care of, really, and you're here, soo…plus, you promised you would tell me soon."  
Eugene sighed. He _really _didn't want to tell Rapunzel his back story. On the other hand, she did have a right to know – how many women married their husbands with absolutely no clue as to who they were growing up, except for being a _thief_?  
"Oh well. I'll bore you to death anyway," he teased, and she rolled her eyes.  
"I seriously doubt it!" she nodded her head, motioning for him to follow her. She knew he wouldn't want maids or the guards overhearing his story, so they went to their bedroom. Rapunzel settled down in the new rocking chair, giving Aisling the feeding-bottle she'd prepared, and Eugene pulled over the overly-plush purple chair.  
"Well…are you _sure_?" he asked, glancing up at her with an almost nervous expression.  
"I'm positive. I won't make fun or be…you know…judgmental or anything."  
"I know," he nodded and took a deep breath, allowing himself to be transported back in time. "Eugene Fitzherbert Senior was my father. He was a fisherman, hardly made any money, but we made due. You know that my father always encouraged my woodworking abilities, right? I made a little extra doing work for the neighbors, starting when I was about four and a half. I had a real knack for fixing stuff, and could use a hammer and nails without hurting myself. Saws and sandpaper presented a bit of a problem, but I was careful and knew my way around the tools. When I was five, my mum had another baby, but she died of complications shortly thereafter. Pa was away, but I…I knew something had to be done with the baby. I tried to feed my little sister with cow milk and make sure she was warm and everything, but I…just don't know. I don't know if it was my fault that she died too, or if it was because she was just so little. I don't know," he repeated, pausing a moment and staring down at his hands. "Then one of my father's coworkers came. Pa had fallen overboard trying to haul a net full of fish up into the boat. He should've been able to swim back, but he got tangled up in the net and…well…you know.

In about two weeks, my mother, my father, and my baby sister all died. I didn't have any relatives, so the coworker made sure that one of the neighbors took me in. They beat me. I took too much interest in books and not enough interest in my work. I wasn't allowed to work with wood. I wasn't allowed to do _anything _but work and work and do as they said. The man would come home drunk, and his kids would get sent to their rooms and locked inside, but he'd abuse me in every way, shape, and form that he could think of. The other day, you know how you noticed the little scars across my shoulder? He'd take a pocket knife and press the tip into my skin until I'd do whatever it was that he wanted me to do. Those scars came from days when I, heh, started questioning him. The old woman was no better. I got sick of them and ran away when I was six. Someone from the orphanage found me when I was cold, starving, and groveling at their doorstep, and they took me to the orphanage.  
They weren't the nicest folks, but they were better than the neighbors. There were a lot of older kids that picked on me because I was always reading _Flynnigan Rider_, once I found the book…so I got into a lot of fights. You already know that I read to the younger kids every night. They liked me, I guess. I helped take care of the younger ones and the older ones helped take care of me and the other kids in my age group. Mrs. Brigsly was there when I was, too. When I got to be about ten, and nobody had adopted me, I tried to run away. I got it into my head that I could be like Flynnigan Rider. When my attempts failed in someone finding me, I would be returned. 'Til…when I was seventeen, they finally let me go. Thus started my career in thieving. I had to. I hated to, my pa had been an honest man that never stole, and I'd looked up to him. But then it just became…habit. Exhilarating. My only excitement. Of course, I tried to flirt with girls, mostly to schmooze my way inside in order to get a free meal or something. I started getting into trouble with the guards when I was twenty, and joined up with the Stabbingtons to steal your crown when I was twenty-two. And…that's it, I guess." he sighed, sitting back in his chair and waiting for the onslaught of questions bound to come from the girl seated by him.

Rapunzel thought for a few minutes, allowing it all to sink in. She watched Aisling Rose play with her fingers, and then she looked up at Eugene. "I'm so sorry."  
"About what?"  
"Well…about your family, and how you were abused, and-"  
He shook his head. "I guess that was normal for the area that I lived in. It was just that I wasn't theirs, and just an extra mouth to feed that they didn't want."  
She nodded quietly. "Gothel would…you know. Hit me or push me around some if I asked too many questions. She said it wasn't good for a girl to be so curious. But that's nothing compared to what you must've gone through. Speaking of girls, were there any first loves?"  
The young man shrugged, growing red in the face with embarrassment. "I liked girls, sure, but it was all unrequited. I guess it was probably lust more than actual love. There was a girl that I thought had a thing for me, but she was only pretending to be nice in order to gain my trust so she could turn me in to the guards and collect the reward they were offering. That was about two years before I met you and understood what true love feels like."  
Rapunzel nodded, her eyes wide as she took in all the new information. "Were you in any foster homes?"  
"Three. I always ended up running away, and then they'd notify the orphanage and the orphanage people would always find me. I don't know how they did it."  
"Why would you run away?"  
"Two families abused me and the third tried to starve me."  
She bit her lip. "How could they be so…so dreadful?"  
He chuckled. "I was a pretty dreadful kid, I guess. Always daydreaming or reading and getting distracted instead of doing my work. Of course, I didn't really mean to, it just…"  
"Happened?" Rapunzel grinned.  
"Yup." he stood out of his chair and reached to collect the baby from Rapunzel's arms, grinning goofily down at the tiny girl before turning his attention back to his wife. "So…are you satisfied now that you've heard my backstory?"  
She smiled, standing up to give him a kiss on the jaw. "Yes. Thank you, hon."  
Eugene grinned teasingly. "That all? A kiss on the jaw and a thank you? Sheesh."  
Rapunzel laughed, shaking her head. "You're terrible. I love you."  
He winked. "A bit contradictory, but I'll take it."


	30. Chapter 30: Fairytales

"It was a pleasure meeting you!" Rapunzel curtsied under the ever-watchful eye of her mother. The tributary from France, a brown-haired and brown-eyed woman who kept a book tucked in the pocket of her cloak, stood and curtsied as well. They exchanged pleasantries and then the young woman left. She was approximately one year younger than Rapunzel; it was odd to see a girl younger than she and already with a brood of three children with the King of France. Of course, she had an excuse, what with being shut in the tower for eighteen years and all, but it still was very odd for the choppy-haired princess. But she didn't plan on thinking about that for too long - she wanted to spend a little bit of free time with her husband and daughter. Eugene had returned home from work shortly before Belle's arrival. He'd made himself scarce when the Queen had stated that they were preparing for tea with a tributary.

Hurrying down the hallway and trying to pull her heeled shoes off in the process, she rushed for their bedroom. The baby, just one month old, was still sleeping in their room. Surprisingly enough, neither of them were in the room. She kicked off her shoes and set her tiara on the bed, for lack of a better location for the time being. Next stop: the kitchen. Eugene was likely annoying the chef by feeding Aisling in the kitchen, instead of having a maid make up a feeding-bottle and then delivering it to him in another room: out of the way of the cook.  
"Hello!" Rapunzel greeted the old, crusty cook warmly. She got a disgusted grunt and a cross glance in response. "Is Eugene in here?" she stood in the doorway, knowing the old man would be irritated if she stepped foot inside of the kitchen.  
"No."  
"Okay; thank you!" she blew him a kiss and left, wondering where her next stop should be. The balcony?  
No. No one was on the balcony.

She trotted to the King's office.  
"Hello, sweetheart. What's up?" he asked, setting his spectacles down on top of a pile of papers.  
"Hi," she smiled. "I'm just looking for Eugene and Aisling."  
"He made himself scarce as well, correct?"  
Rapunzel paused. As well?  
"You didn't want to be their either, did you? Did you even have documents to go over?"  
He put a finger to his lips, his pale eyes dancing with amusement. "Shh. I just don't see the point in sitting over tea unless it's on important business. I _did _have a couple of letters to respond to, however."  
She shook her head, giggling. "You'll have to teach me your tricks."  
He chuckled, and Rapunzel hurried off.

Finally, she went into the library. "Eugene? Are you guys in here?"  
"Are they gone?"  
She laughed, hurrying to find the owner of the voice. He was curled up on a chair with a book in one hand and Aisling in the other.  
The baby's doe eyes were glittering as she stared at the book that Eugene held...it wasn't _Flynnigan Rider_, but instead a fairytale.  
Rapunzel grinned. "Starting her off early?"  
"You're never too early to start 'em off in reading," he said, glancing down at the baby affectionately. "She's been fed and changed and has been pretty quiet."  
Rapunzel nodded, smiling. "Do you like fairytales, hm, sweetie?" she reached to scoop the irresistible baby from her husband's arms, kissing her forehead. Eugene stood, stretching his back and looking at the book still in his hands.  
"How much time do we have until supper?"  
She shrugged. "A good while. The cook is still...cooking."  
He chuckled. "Well, could I interest you in some reading?"  
The princess's green eyes shone with excitement. She _loved _listening to his reading, almost as much as she loved reading itself. "I'm fairly certain you know the answer,"  
He chuckled, sitting back down and draping one arm over the back of the chair, holding his book in the other hand. Rapunzel sat with Aisling and curled up to his side, and they took turns reading to the baby.


	31. Chapter 31: Little Smiles

**A/N: Hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving yesterday! This is just a really quick one-shot; thanks again for all the reviews, follows, and favorites. You guys are amazing!  
**

* * *

August turned into September, and Eugene's work slowly tapered off. Of course, Rapunzel and Eugene both appreciated this fact now that they had Aisling.

One morning towards the middle of September, Rapunzel woke Eugene at promptly seven o'clock.  
"Let's go for a walk! Aisling would enjoy it, I bet."  
Eugene groaned, burying his face in his pillow. "How can you be so energetic?"  
"Because! It's a _gorgeous _September day and we need to go for a walk!" she shook his shoulder. He teasingly pushed her hands away, but she retaliated by hitting him with a pillow.  
"Do I need Pascal to-"  
Oh, heck no. "I'm up," he sat, rubbing at his face.  
She giggled, reaching to rumple his already messy hair. "Thought that might work, sweetie."  
"Hmmh," he grumbled, but she leaned forward to kiss his cheek.  
She laughed at his sleepy expression, hopping out of bed to get dressed. In the meantime, Aisling announced her waking with a loud cry.  
"I'm coming, I'm coming," Eugene yawned, swinging his legs over the side of the bed and getting up.

When they were dressed and ready, the trio went to the dining hall. Rapunzel simultaneously fed herself and the baby, talking eagerly in between mouthfuls.  
"Is it alright to go for a walk today?" Rapunzel asked her mother.  
The Queen smiled. "Yes, dearest. Would you like us to watch Aisling?"  
She shook her head. "We'll take her. Won't we, cutie? You've never been away from the castle yet."  
Aisling watched her a moment before hiccuping.  
Eugene chuckled. "Yet? She's only a couple of months old."  
"Hey. I'm giving her what I never had," she scrunched her nose and made a face at Eugene. He dabbed her cheek with butter from his biscuit, grinning when she rolled her eyes and rubbed at her cheek, hiding a smile.

After they ate, they packed a lunch for themselves, some goat's milk and the feeding-bottle, and a few cloth diapers in Eugene's old satchel. They grabbed Pascal and were on their way, hurrying quickly to escape the town village.  
"I love this trail," she grinned, shifting the baby in her arms.  
"I know," Eugene smiled, watching the girl gaze at the trees. The leaves would soon be turning brilliant shades of orange, red, and yellow. Aisling gazed out from her blanket, looking around with wide eyes, but soon yawned, sticking her thumb in her mouth and sucking on it.  
"It always makes me want to paint, though. Oh, just wait until you can paint, sweetie. It's so much fun!" Rapunzel quickly swung her attention to her daughter.  
Eugene slipped an arm around the girl's slim shoulders. "We'll be in big trouble when she learns about paint. The walls will never be the same again. Probably none of the furniture, either," he chuckled. "But when we get home, I can watch her while you paint awhile. Sound good?" she had given up painting after her miscarriage.  
Her eyes widened and she glanced up at him, a smile splitting her face. "You're amazing!"  
"I know," he teased, ducking to kiss her forehead.

When they got to their clearing and the familiar old oak, they settled to feed Aisling and eat their lunch. Pascal took the opportunity to snatch some of their grapes and climb the oak, turning colors to match the bark.  
When the baby had finished the feeding-bottle and had been burped, Rapunzel settled her in her arms, situating her so she could look around.  
"You taking in all the sights, hm?" Eugene peered down at Aisling, grinning goofily at her before gently pecking her forehead. The child smiled a split second before reaching for the young man's nose with a slobbery hand.  
"Did she just smile?" Rapunzel asked abruptly.  
"Mmhmm," Eugene's response was nasal-y while the baby pinched at his nose. He rolled his eyes up to meet the girl's, which glimmered with excitement. "First milestone."  
She fairly beamed, cuddling the baby close with excitement.


	32. Chapter 32: A Busy Thanksgiving

Bright and early Thanksgiving morning, the castle was bustling. The King and Queen always donated meals to the orphanage, so there was much work to be done. To boot, all of the workers who did not live in the castle and had families were allowed the day off to spend with their families, so they were several people short.  
Rapunzel quickly offered to help with the cooking. The grumpy cook wasn't pleased, but the others, including Emilie, were pleased to have her help in the kitchen.  
She worked quickly and efficiently, joking with the maids and having fun as she worked. Help season this, put that over the fire pit; that in the stone oven. Bake the pies, sprinkle this with cinnamon and add sugar to that. She continued working in such a whirlwind that she didn't notice Eugene watching her until she turned to take her apron off. He snagged her around the waist, untying the stained apron for her and hanging it up before spinning her around to give her a quick kiss.  
"Hey," she giggled, blushing.  
"Hey, gorgeous. Wanted to catch you and steal your attention for a minute before you were off on your next mission," his grin made Rapunzel fairly melt.  
She laughed, wiping her floury hands on her blue skirt before slipping her arms around his neck. "Well, my next mission is helping to transport the food to the orphanage. Then I can spend time with you all," she grinned. "Where's our little Rose?"  
"Napping in the sitting-room. Your parents are watching her,"  
"Okay," she nodded. "Do you want to come along?"  
"We need all the help we can get," Emilie added in passing.  
"I suppose," he nodded. "I know how excited I got for Thanksgiving when they started the tradition of donating food."  
Rapunzel grinned, giving him an excited hug before filling both of their arms full of trays and baskets of food.

When they returned, they were full from the happy and excited smiles of the children. The King and Queen were waiting in the dining hall, Aisling in the King's lap.  
"Thank you," Rapunzel said, reaching to scoop the brown eyed baby from her adoptive grandfather's arms. "Were you good? Oh, you're happy to see momma and father?" she grinned when Aisling's face split into a completely endearing, slobbery smile.  
"She was very good, yes," the Queen nodded as they took their seats. Eugene slipped Aisling away from Rapunzel so he could feed her. "How were the children at the orphanage?"  
"Very excited, and very thankful," Rapunzel laughed, flicking at some dried mashed potatoes she'd accidentally spilled on her skirt earlier in the day.

Over supper, the Queen suggested that they list and discuss some things that they were thankful for: a wonderful idea for a yearly tradition.  
The King started. "I'm grateful for another successful year ruling Corona, and my wonderful family." he slipped an arm around the Queen's shoulders.  
"Well, I'm thankful that we had a peaceful year, as far as wars go - or the lack thereof - and for our family. Especially that my little girl's sitting across from me," the Queen smiled at her daughter, and Rapunzel blushed.  
"I-I'm thankful for all of you. And I'm thankful Eugene is here, and I'm thankful that we have little miss Aisling."  
Eugene grinned down at the child in his arms for a moment. "I guess I'll repeat what everyone else has already said. I'm thankful we're war-free, and that I don't have nightmares nearly as often anymore. I'm thankful for my beautiful wife and daughter," he paused to cast a teasing smile at Rapunzel, who was even more embarrassed now, "and for your acceptance of having me as your son-in-law."  
"We're eternally grateful for you saving her, so having you as a son-in-law is perfectly excellent," the Queen nodded.  
"That's a tale we'll have to tell Aisling one day. How a thief broke into your tower, ended up blackmailed by a tiny girl with seventy feet of hair and a frying pan, then ending up dying for said girl and being resurrected by a single tear."  
She giggled. "And all because of a dream. And fate,"  
"Or a horse."  
"Oh, come on, Eugene. Not that argument again," she elbowed him, and he chuckled.

Later, full of pie and sleepy from tryptophan, they all retired to bed. Rapunzel sung quietly to Aisling and rocked her to sleep while Eugene dressed for bed.  
Finally, the little child drifted off to sleep, clutching her blanket to her chubby cheek and sucking her thumb. Rapunzel eased her into her cradle and tucked another blanket around her before going to bed herself. Her husband immediately pulled her to his side, and she giggled. "Love you."  
"Love you too, gorgeous."  
She slipped an arm over his torso and curled up, sighing contentedly. Last Thanksgiving, he'd been away in Al'vae. Actually, last Thanksgiving, she had been under the impression that he had been taken prisoner of war and then murdered. This year, they were married and had adopted Aisling. Yes, this year was _much _better, despite the disappointment of a miscarriage.  
"I'm thankful for you being here. Last Thanksgiving, I thought you were dead. So falling asleep in your arms is one of the best things ever," she mumbled into his shoulder, suddenly feeling a little shy.  
She didn't open her eyes, but instead felt his reaction in how he tightened his arms around her and started stroking her short, choppy hair. She felt his lips brush against her forehead, and she finally peeled an eye open, grinning before plopping a soft goodnight kiss on his lips.  
"And I'm thankful to have such a precious girl to hold -and for such a sweet little girl to call our daughter. Now _that _was fate." he whispered.  
She laughed through her nose. "You can't blame or credit Maximus for that."  
"Only reason I'm not," he teased quietly.


	33. Chapter 33: Aisling's First Christmas

"Wake up! It's Aisling's first Christmas!" Rapunzel straddled her husband, bouncing on his midsection and shaking his shoulders eagerly.  
He peeled a brown eye open. He highly doubted that his daughter was as excited about this as his wife was. "Is she even up yet?"  
"Up, fed, and dressed," she laughed.  
He nodded, yawning and stretching before shooing the eager princess out of bed so he could get up and dressed.  
Rapunzel scooped Aisling out of her cradle, kissing her forehead. The child smiled and waved her hands excitedly, something she did anytime anyone paid attention to her. "Yes, you're our little darling, aren't you?" she touched her forehead against the baby's, and her daughter giggled, grabbing at her nose.

As soon as Eugene was dressed, they hurried to the dining hall, where the King and Queen were waiting. The Queen immediately took the little girl and held her while they ate. The child, who was just learning to crawl, was grabby; wreaking havoc by trying to pull the plates off of the table and flapping a cloth napkin, babbling quietly and giggling to herself. Rapunzel was as enthralled by the child as her father was, and when they realized they were both watching her, they traded knowing smiles and resumed watching the little brown-haired child.

When they had eaten, they all went to sit around the large pine in the middle of the sitting-room.  
"Do you see that huge thing?" Eugene pointed to the tree, directing Aisling's attention to the decorated pine. She clapped her chubby hands and bounced on her bottom. Before anyone else, they gave Aisling her gifts: a lovely little dress and a few stuffed toys. The child studied them carefully, feeling the fabric and yarn textures and cooing quietly before turning her attention to the simple brown paper that had covered the gifts - the crinkling noises that came from the paper were far more interesting than her new toys! After the adults exchanged gifts, they all settled in the sitting-room, watching Aisling play. Rapunzel and Eugene curled up on a couch and read one of their new books - an adventure novel. The King and Queen were content to talk quietly and drink tea.  
In the afternoon, after Aisling was fed and napping, Rapunzel asked Eugene to go outside with her to play in the snow.

She may be an adult, but she had missed out on playing in snow for the first eighteen years of her life; she was making up for lost time. Plus, she _loved_ the cold snow and how it made the landscape look!  
"Hmm...it's cold, though," Eugene said. "It's nice and cozy in here." He was partly teasing her, just to see her get irritated. He didn't mind the cold as much anymore as he acted like he did.  
"I love the cold!" Rapunzel threw back, but then she grinned. He was generally quite jealous of her chameleon. "Well, if you don't want to, I suppose I'll get Pascal-"  
"Oh, c'mon." he gave her a look that told her he knew she'd said that on purpose, and she laughed.  
He'd never admit it, but he didn't mind freezing his toes off as long as he got to watch his girl enjoying herself. They bundled up and went out to the courtyard, where the snow tended to drift the deepest. Rapunzel immediately got down to the business of building a snowman; he watched her until she caught his affectionate gaze.  
"What?" she asked, turning her attention away from the ball of snow she was rolling so she could meet his warm eyes.  
"O-oh, um-" he cleared his throat. "Nothing."  
She grinned, her cheeks growing slightly warmer as she realized how gentle of a gaze he was giving her. "Aren't you going to help?"  
"Sure," he nodded, slightly flustered. "Just lost in thought."  
When he knelt in the snow beside her, she kissed him on the cheek just to see his face grow redder. "You can start on the middle section."

After they had finished, they shook the snow from their clothes and cloaks and hurried back inside, stomping feeling back into their toes. As soon as they arrived back in the sitting-room, rubbing their hands together to warm them up, they were greeted by gleeful, chameleon-esque noises. Rapunzel glanced up and saw Pascal hanging from the doorframe, the same color as the wood. He clung a sprig of mistletoe with his tail.  
"He's been creating chaos throughout the castle. I don't know where he even found that," the Queen called from where she sat.  
Rapunzel immediately tried to leave in order to find a step ladder so she could retrieve and reprimand the chameleon, but Eugene caught her hand, grinning.  
"Give him a doozy of a kiss and he'll quit, I bet," the handsome prince consort gave her an impish grin, and she giggled, blushing as she glanced towards her parents, who were both watching. Aisling was crawling clumsily across the floor, and the King averted his gaze to his adoptive granddaughter, suppressing a smile. Tsking her tongue when Pascal impatiently shook the mistletoe, she stood up on tiptoe and caught Eugene by surprise.

When their lips parted, he chuckled, glancing up at the doorframe where Pascal, now pink, hid his face.  
"Well, that wasn't so bad, was it? And it worked, too," he met her pretty green eyes and couldn't resist kissing the tip of her freckled nose before nodding towards Pascal, who had dropped the mistletoe on the floor.  
She laughed, scrunching her nose. "You're awful, but it was nice, yes."  
He grinned teasingly, slipping his arms comfortably around her waist. "Geez, if it takes a _frog's_ goading-"  
"Chameleon," she sighed dramatically, and he laughed. Then, she felt a slight tug at her skirt. Glancing down, she saw Aisling peering up at her from under thick, dark bangs. She smiled, bending to scoop up the irresistible baby. "Are you feeling left out, little Aisling Rose?" the baby laughed and smiled, and Rapunzel cuddled her to her chest a moment before kissing her cheek. Eugene kissed the baby's other cheek, and Aisling laughed again, swinging around to look at her father.


	34. Chapter 34: Eire

It was March once more in the wonderful kingdom of Corona. Aisling was eight months old, and Eugene's work at the woodshop had not yet begun for the year.  
The King requested Eugene go on a trip with him to the kingdom of Eire. The King and Queen were headed off for a business trip relating to trade, and he wanted Eugene to go due to his training.  
"It's essential for you to know how to discuss trade deals with other kingdoms, and most everyone knows that the people of Eire are the least easiest to deal with." the King explained.  
"I have to go in order to learn, but they're jerks who can't make deals? Makes sense."  
"If you can handle them, you can handle any other country, I can guarantee you that," the King said. "Better to first learn with a disagreeable country than with a very tolerant and accepting country and then not understand how to handle the disagreeable countries later on."  
He sighed. He knew the King was right, but gosh. A little bit of a heads-up would've been nice. They were leaving the day after tomorrow, and he _just now _decided to tell him to come with?  
"How long will we be gone? A little heads-up would've been great, by the way." he didn't mean the comment to sound quite as snarky as it had ended up being.  
"We will be gone approximately three weeks round-trip," the King flashed him a glance to let him know that he most certainly did not appreciate his tone of voice.  
"I'll think about it. And I'll talk it over with Rapunzel, too," he added. The King had called him privately to his office, so his wife didn't know. Or maybe she _did - _maybe he was the last one to know about this!  
"Okay. We'll expect your answer in the morning, but I do hope you will come. This would be invaluable to your training to become king," he nodded, turning back to his papers and allowing Eugene to leave.

He wandered into their bedroom, sighing and rubbing his head, which had started to ache already. Rapunzel was in the nursery, putting Aisling to sleep. She had just recently moved to the nursery, now that she didn't need to be fed through the night and was sleeping through the night regularly.  
When she came to the bedroom, untying her thin robe that covered her nightdress, she smiled. "What did Father want to talk with you about?"  
"Well...you know the trip they're going on to Eire soon?"  
"Mhm?" she bustled to hang her robe up and then went to make sure Pascal was curled up on his pillow as usual.  
"They want me to go; they say it will be good for my training."  
She turned, mildly surprised. "I'm assuming you are going, then? It's a really short notice, though."  
"I know. He didn't appreciate it when I brought that up," he chuckled. "I don't know. I don't want to go, but I suppose I _should_. I don't want to leave you all alone, though."  
"Eugene," she laughed. "I have Aisling, and-and all of the people who work here. I wouldn't be alone. How long would you be gone?"  
"Three weeks, supposedly." he collapsed into bed, and Rapunzel perched beside him, rubbing her fingers through his hair.  
"You should go, but it's up to you, of course."  
He groaned into his pillow. "I used to be good at making split-second decisions."  
She laughed. "Losing your touch?"  
"When it means leaving my wife and daughter for three weeks, I guess so."  
Rapunzel bent to kiss the back of his head. "We'll be fine, I promise."

* * *

Eugene did as was requested of him, and the weeks flew by. Rapunzel was so busy that she barely had any time to miss anyone - at least, until the evenings, when things slowed down and she had time to sit. That was when she couldn't wait for the beginning of April, which was when Eugene was set to come back home - as well as her parents.  
The morning of the day he was to arrive home, Rapunzel took Aisling for a walk around the town square. She had nothing else to do, and couldn't stand sitting around in wait for the ship's arrival.

Sometime into their walk, two guards passed by the princess and her daughter, and they were followed by two more.  
Rapunzel gazed after them curiously, wondering what was going on. A moment of fear surged through her, and she caught sight of two more. Pushing through the crowd towards them, she saw none other than her parents.  
Thank goodness! She'd been afraid that something had happened to them!  
"Mother! Father!" she called excitedly. Situating Aisling on her hip and grabbing a handful of her skirt in the other hand, she raced towards her parents to give them one-armed hugs.  
"Hello, dear! Did you miss us?" the Queen smiled, and Rapunzel grinned.  
"I was a little worried when I saw all of the guards," she explained laughingly.  
"Well, we're home now! How's this little sweetheart?" she slipped Aisling from Rapunzel's arms, and the child grinned, grabbing at the Queen's necklace.  
"She's mannerly and just a dear, as always," she smiled, watching her daughter interact with her mother.  
"No greeting for me?"  
Rapunzel swung around to see Eugene approaching, a goofy grin across his face.  
She laughed, picking up her skirts once more to hurry into his arms. "I missed you!"  
He chuckled. "I missed you too."  
She buried her face in his shoulder and drank in the scent of his shirt. He smelled of an odd mix of salty seawater and fresh air.  
"How was the trip?" she asked, looking up at him with a smile. He ducked to pull her into a kiss before answering her.  
"It was pretty good, and I did learn quite a bit, but I'm glad it's over," he chuckled, casting a glance towards her parents.  
Catching said glance, she laughed. "You're awful."  
He winked. "I know."  
The King and Queen approached, and promptly deposited Aisling into Rapunzel's arms. "We're going to head back to the castle and get some rest, alright, darling?"  
She nodded, reaching to kiss her parents' cheeks. "Okay. I'll see you at dinner, I suppose?"  
The King nodded, slipping an arm around her mother's waist as they left.  
Rapunzel redirected her attention to Aisling. "And look who's home!"  
She grinned, but she'd already caught sight of her father. Reaching her arms out towards him, she wiggled her fingers and babbled, giving him a slobbery-faced smile that melted his heart.  
"C'mere, you. How's my little Rose?" he chuckled, taking the baby from Rapunzel and burying his nose in the child's neck before kissing it. The baby giggled again and squirmed, reaching to grab at his face and watch him talk.  
"She's intrigued by speaking, now. She's probably going to start trying to talk by herself soon, don't you think?" Rapunzel asked, reaching to stroke her baby's hair.  
"Probably," he smiled and made a face at Aisling, who mimicked it.  
"You're going to teach her to be as terrible as you are," Rapunzel warned jokingly, and he shrugged, grabbing her by the waist with his free hand so he could pull her close to his other side. She laughed, but leaned up against him and slipped an arm around him.  
"But she'll be darn cute being as terrible as I am," he made another face, which the baby immediately tried to mimic again. She couldn't help but laugh, shaking her head.  
"Alright...let's go home before you teach her any bad habits," she teased, kissing his jaw.


	35. Chapter 35: Floating Lanterns

Aisling was now eleven months old and able to say a few things. She was a very quiet, well-behaved child, but always had a giggle or a chubby-cheeked smile in store for anyone who paid attention to her. She was tottering about with some trouble, but her favorite activity was dancing. Her father would bend over, holding her upright, and let her stand on his feet as he swayed into a dance slow enough she could keep her balance. Rapunzel had painted this adorable scene at least twice.

On Rapunzel's 21st birthday, Eugene had the day planned out, once more. He'd taken the day off from work and was excited to show her the gift he'd toiled away at for hours; but there was one thing: getting Rapunzel to let her parents watch Aisling.

The baby was more than happy to be with her adoptive grandparents, and vice versa, but Rapunzel was less than eager to leave the child for a day.  
"We haven't had a day to ourselves since before we adopted Aisling. It'll be fun,"  
"But she..." the princess nibbled on her lip, trying to think of an argument. She didn't really _have _a good argument; she just was nervous about letting her child with her parents an entire day.  
"Your parents are more than happy to watch her. I already asked them," he said.  
"So I'm the only one who hasn't a clue what you have planned today?"  
"That's why it's called a surprise, dear," he chuckled, kissing her cheek. "She'll be okay, I promise."  
Rapunzel slipped behind the dressing-curtain, making a very un-princesslike grunt to show her neutrality on the matter.

The girl eventually gave in and left Aisling in her parents' care, promising to be back in time for the lantern festival. They nodded, but said not to worry about it.  
"First stop: Attilla's cupcake shop." Eugene said this with bated breath. They hadn't seen the thugs in ages. Rapunzel's eyes lit up, and an excited smile spread across her face. Grabbing his hand, she fairly dragged him to the shop.  
As planned, the thugs were waiting for her, and greeted the petite girl with raucous yells and big hugs all around. Big-Nose Thug's wife shyly showed Rapunzel her baby, which was an eight-month-old, rambunctious little boy. The child eagerly engaged in a game of peek-a-boo with Rapunzel, and pretty soon, the boy was twisting around in his mother's arms, getting quite a few of the thugs in on the game. Eugene watched, shaking his head and fighting to hide a smile. The young lady's enthusiastic mood was contagious.  
And as always, there were cupcakes for everyone. Rapunzel made her way over to Eugene, holding a cupcake out to him. He took it, smiling at her. "Enjoying yourself?"  
"Mhm!" she grinned, her mouth full. Gulping, her smile faded and she looked guiltily at him. "Maybe we should go home to check up on Aisling-"  
He shook his head. "The Queen's orders, you can't come back to check on her. She had a day all planned out with our Rose."  
She clucked her tongue, but visibly relaxed. "If I find out you're just saying all this-"  
"I'm not. Eat your cupcake, Blondie," he teased, gesturing to the icing that had begun to ooze a bit. He took a bite out of his own treat.  
When they finished up, Rapunzel saw a pinkish smear across Eugene's upper lip. Her tall, tough husband...with pink icing around his mouth. _That _was a priceless image. "C'mere."  
"What?"  
She laughed before bouncing up on tiptoe so she could remove the icing from his lip with a quick kiss. He gave her a surprised grin, the icing still unbeknownst to him.  
"You had icing on your lip."  
"So the only time you're gonna kiss me today is when I have remnants of _food _on my face? That's-"  
She giggled, swatting his arm gently. "You're _terrible_! C'mon, Hook-hand has a story he wants to tell me. You've _got _to hear it!"

After they left Attilla's cupcake shop, they went to the art store, where Rapunzel got mounds of chalk.  
"Please tell me this isn't all going to your painting-room," Eugene grumbled under his breath, not looking forward to hauling all of it back to the castle.  
"No, silly! We'll let some of the townsfolk draw on the cobblestones, like we did on my eighteenth birthday!" she grinned. "Help me carry it all, please?"  
Being the prince consort he was, of _course _he took almost all of the packages of chalk, but it's not like he enjoyed it. She trotted along beside him, clearly pleased, and he managed to elbow her teasingly.  
"Next time, the townsfolk can just go into the store and pick up a package. These are heavy!" he said, half-teasing.  
"Oh, c'mon. You're big and strong enough to carry this all," she giggled, reaching to peck his jaw.  
In the town square, children soon gathered, asking the princess to show them how to draw on the cobblestone. Soon, some kids were even asking Eugene - who hadn't the least bit of artistic talent - and after that, even more of them could be found drawing, along with some adults. Rapunzel drew a huge, swirly sun representing Corona's symbol, and drew some of the townsfolk around it in her childlike style. Eugene saw a simplified version of the King and Queen in amongst them, as well as he, Aisling, and the princess herself. A group of redheaded, pigtailed girls were included, and several others.

The festivities continued all day long. Rapunzel led Eugene into a dance when a few men, carrying instruments, started an impromptu melody. Pretty soon, the entire town square was engaged in a lively celebration, and the fact that their lost princess was in amongst the group made everything even better!  
Finally, a town crier yelled, "To the boats! The lantern festival is about to start!"  
Rapunzel gasped, whirling to Eugene with wide eyes. "Oh no! We have to get back to the castle-"  
"Let's go to the river instead," he grinned.  
She gave him a confused look. "I'd _love _to, but we have to get back for the release-"  
"Nope. I talked it over with your parents, and they said it would be fine."  
She smiled. They hadn't been out there since her eighteenth birthday. "Okay. I'm not going to complain!"  
He grinned. "Thought you wouldn't. C'mon, let's hurry!"  
The ex-thief snagged her hand and helped her weave quickly and undetected through the crowd, until they finally arrived at the docks. People flooded to the rental boats, but Eugene led Rapunzel past the public dock and into the private dock for the King and Queen.  
"Where are we going?"  
"You'll see," he cast a grin over his shoulder, so she kept following him.  
Finally, they reached a small boat much like the rentals.  
"Tada," he presented it with a flourish, making Rapunzel laugh.  
"Did you...make this?"  
"Yup. That's where all _these _came from," he gestured to the newer callouses on the palms of his hands.  
She went over, tracing the intricate carving. Flowers and lanterns mingled, but a small "E&amp;R" carved roughly into the side of it caught her attention.  
"It's beautiful," she murmured. Turning around, she grinned at him. "It's _beautiful_!" she tackled him into a hug, and he laughed, slipping his arms comfortably around her.  
"Glad you like it," he chuckled.  
"You're amazing."  
"Tell me something I don't know," he teased, kissing her nose. "Only the best for an amazing girl who became a thief herself three years ago."  
"I...?"  
He chuckled, stepping carefully into the boat and helping her in. "Well, you _stole _my heart..."  
"Oh, was _that _ever corny," she giggled, her face growing red. "But thank you."

He rowed them out into the river just as the King and Queen released the first lantern. As the sky came alive as more and more lanterns filled the night, Rapunzel watched with the same rapt awe as she had the very first time she had seen them.  
"I'll never get over how amazing this is," she said quietly, turning back to catch Eugene's affectionate gaze.  
He smiled. "I know. It _is _pretty amazing,"  
Rapunzel glanced back up at the sky for a minute before turning back to her husband, a teasing glimmer appearing in her wide eyes. She took his vest collar in her hands and before he could react, grabbed him into a fairly fervent kiss. Eugene, of course - once he came to his senses - returned it, and once their lips parted, he bumped his forehead up against hers, grinning.  
"I wanted to finish what you never did three years ago," she giggled.  
"Well, I knew the Stabbingtons were over on that shore waiting to wring my neck, and I wanted your first kiss to be better than that," he winked, catching her hands into his.  
Rapunzel smiled, turning her attention back to the lanterns once more. They danced in the night sky, filling even the darkest corners of the kingdom with light. Twirling and intertwining in the sky, they wove ideas for new dreams and lifted spirits. Even the most grumpy of individuals -also known as the cook - had to at least realize the beauty of the celebration.


	36. Chapter 36:Fireflies

**A/N: I am so, so, ****_so_**** sorry, guys! It's been far too long. Pair writer's block and busy-ness with a laptop that doesn't want to work and you get a very irritated writer and a near-deserted fanfiction. Ugh. Anyway, without further ado, (and hopefully without any laptop issues *glares at screen*), here's the next chapter =D**

* * *

**_"Mother! Mother, look!" I bounded over to Mother, my long blond hair tickling my ankles and following me like a shadow. I held my chubby hands in front of me, cupped carefully around something I'd found.  
"What is it, flower?" Mother seemed preoccupied with something on her hand, but I quickly showed her the precious thing anyway. A firefly had made its way into my tower, and I had spent an hour trying to catch it.  
"Bug! Bug!" I felt my face pull into a wide, toothy smile.  
"Mmhmm," Mother glanced at the critter that was carefully cradled in my four-year-old hands. "Yes. It's a firefly."  
I knew my eyes widened with curiosity. "It's so-o-o pretty. Can I keep it?"  
"No," Mother was quick to shake her head, her black curls bouncing back and forth. "It would die, flower, and you don't want to kill it, do you?"  
"No, Mother." I shook my head, my eyes widening even more, this time with horror and fear.  
"That's a good girl. Give it to me, and I'll let it go." She held her hands out and I tried to carefully deposit the creature into her hands, but it fell on the floor instead. Mother quickly stepped forward, presumably to catch it, but she instead stepped on it. With a gasp - I knew now that it was likely staged - she backed away and examined the remaining pieces of the firefly. "Oh, look at what you've done, Rapunzel..."  
I gasped, pressing my hands to my mouth. I had been hoping that the insect would be my first and only friend, and look what I'd done to it - "I'd" killed it. Certainly, it was Mother Gothel's fault, but at the time, I thought it my fault because, firstly, Mother Gothel said so, and secondly, because if I had not caught it, it would still be alive.  
Mother grasped my shoulder with a sense of urgency. "I'm feeling a little sickly, now, flower. Why don't you sing for me while I brush your hair?"  
"Yes, Mommy," I whimpered, still staring at the deceased firefly on the floor. _**

Rapunzel watched her three year old daughter run gleefully in the castle garden, her chubby hands outstretched as she watched the fireflies filling the summer air. Her semi-long brown hair fell in her eyes and she giggled, twirling in a circle and landing in the middle of some grass, dizzied.  
"You were right, she's going _nuts_ over these bugs," Eugene plopped in the grass beside his wife, and she grinned absentmindedly.  
"I knew she would." Standing up, she caught a firefly in her hand. "Aisling, sweetie, c'mere!"  
Hearing the excitement in her mother's voice, she raced over, grabbing at her mother's blue skirt and giggling. Rapunzel bent, holding her hands out carefully. The little girl peered, awe-struck, and then glanced up at her mother. "Fire-bug!"  
"Yes, sweetheart. Firefly. Here, hold your hand out, baby." the child did so, and Rapunzel gently slid the insect onto her hand. When it crawled across her palm, she squealed. "Tickles, mommy! It tickles!"  
Rapunzel laughed. "Does it? Now be careful, don't squish it!"  
She nodded, holding it right in front of her face and giggling when it illuminated her brown eyes. "I wanna keep it!"  
Rapunzel froze, glancing at Eugene as memories flooded her. Hadn't she promised Aisling _everything _she'd never had? How could she tell her that no, she couldn't keep the firefly, in a less graphic way that Gothel had?  
Eugene came to the rescue, crouching beside Aisling. "We'll get a jar to keep it in for awhile, but you have to let it go later, okay?"  
"Why?" she asked innocently, almost on the verge of giving him a pout.  
"It would miss its family! I bet it has a mommy and daddy waiting for it," he handled the situation effortlessly.  
"Okay," she nodded, and he left to retrieve a small jar from the kitchen. When he returned, she clumsily deposited the creature into the container and watched it a moment before crying, "Let's catch more!"

Rapunzel and Eugene were quick to participate in the requested action. Rapunzel basked in her daughter's excitement, happy to share an activity she'd longed to enjoy as a child.  
When Aisling practically collapsed of exhaustion, Rapunzel and Eugene took her inside and tucked her in bed with Pascal, who was her official bedtime buddy. After they closed the door, Rapunzel went back outside to release the fireflies. Instead of letting them go right away, however, she plopped down cross-legged in the grass, examining the captive bugs curiously. Sure, she'd seen them before, but never up close like this.

She lost track of how long she sat watching them, and soon, Eugene came and sat down beside her, yawning. He was already in his nightclothes...or maybe she'd just been outside that long.  
"Coming to bed tonight?" he teased gently, and she smiled, flushing.  
"Yes, sorry. Just..."  
"Lost in thought?"  
"Yep," she glanced at him and widened her smile.  
"About what?" was naturally his next question.  
"Oh, just remembering the first time I caught a firefly. I'm glad we got to share tonight with our little girl, this memory."  
"Your memory wasn't the best, I take it?" he asked.  
"Well..." she laughed, pulling the scrap of fabric from the mouth of the jar and letting the bugs go. "Gothel killed it and said it was my fault."  
"Ouch," he winced, but he was watching the fireflies zigzag and dance up into the sky, dispersing.  
"What about you?" she asked, leaning up against him and setting the jar on her lap.  
"First time I saw a firefly up-close, I was beating up some older kid at the orphanage. He'd pulled the wings off of it." he rubbed his jaw and then glanced down at Rapunzel, slipping his arms snugly around her. "Didn't end too well for me _or _the bug, but my point was made, I think."  
"How old were you?"  
"Five. He was twelve."  
Not sure whether to laugh or grimace at her husband's previous bad-judgement, she bit her lip. "Yikes."  
"Yeah," he chuckled. "Well, at least our kiddos will have good memories of them."  
"Kiddos, _plural_?" she turned to look at him curiously. Had she missed something?  
He paused, clearing his throat. "Someday. I hope. If you want."  
Laughing at his obvious discomfort, she planted a kiss on his jaw. "Someday."


	37. Chapter 37: Blue Christmas

**A/N: Hey guys! Thanks so much for all your reviews, follows, favorites, EVERYTHING. Hope you all have a Merry Christmas!  
**

* * *

"No. Absolutely not."  
"Why not? C'mon...it'll be fun!"  
"Singing outside people's doorsteps in the freezing cold does _not _sound like fun."  
Rapunzel tsked her tongue. To Eugene, it seemed, caroling was a capitol offense that should be met with the utmost stubbornness.  
"They're going to the orphanage to carol, Eugene, wouldn't you want to give those kids something to smile about?"  
"The other carolers will do that," he said indifferently, though he knew he was being selfish at this point.  
Huffing, Rapunzel stood in front of him with her hands on her hips, a determined look pasted firmly across her face. "Eugene. C'mon. You know that's not true."

"I just think we should be with our own daughter for..you know...the day before Christmas Eve." Eugene gulped. That was a really bad excuse.  
"She's in bed, it's eight o'clock, and they'll be here in fifteen minutes."

It had been six months since their decision that they wanted more children, and the couple had yet to become parents to another child. They were actually trying to have one of their own, but had recently given up and were planning to adopt sometime. Rapunzel had tried her best, downing packet after packet of herbs that would keep her healthy and aid in pregnancy, but their efforts were met with disappointment. Since their decision to give up on the idea, Eugene had been pretty down in the dumps. Secretly, Rapunzel was grasping at straws and hoping for some Christmas miracle - not that she minded adoption; no, she _loved _the idea of giving another needy child a home, but...she also had kind of wanted to know what it would feel like to have a baby - plus, she'd always been curious as to what Eugene's child would be like.

"Come on, Eugene. Please? If not, I guess I'll go by myself. But it'd be fun to go caroling together," she gave him a convincing pout that she knew he couldn't resist.  
He stood from his chair and crossed his arms over his chest, regarding Rapunzel's expression. "Trying to manipulate your spouse via facial expressions isn't nice, Rapunzel."  
She half laughed, half groaned. "Oh, come on. I'm not going to give up 'til you're out of this funk you're in."  
Squeezing past her, he headed for their bedroom door. "What funk?"

Huh-uh. No way was he getting out of this conversation again. Sprinting to beat him to the bedroom door and slipping neatly between him and the door handle, she blocked it successfully. "You and I both know _what_, Eugene."  
Shaking his head, he met her gaze evenly. "Well, if you want to go caroling, nobody's stopping you. But singing songs on repeat in the cold isn't going to get me out of a _funk_, so I'll be reading in the library. Okay?"

She huffed with frustration, but let him slip past him. "Fine. I'll be back later." She would go caroling, yes, but she was doing it to try to curb her sudden urge to cry. It was her fault he was so disappointed. _She _was a disappointment, and she couldn't stand herself, let alone seeing him being so down in the dumps.

* * *

When she came back home before midnight, she was cold, but satisfied with the children's happiness from the carolers' visit to the orphanage. Everyone else was asleep, it seemed, so she popped her head into Aisling's room to check up on her and watch her sleep for a few minutes before heading to bed herself. Eugene had his back to the door, luckily, so she was able to use a candle's light to see in order to dress in her nightgown. When she slipped into bed, she turned on her side with her face to the door, curling into a ball. She wanted to talk with Eugene, but he was making it so...so hard! He evaded the conversation every single time she tried to talk with him. Maybe she could catch him bright and early in the morning, if she was feeling well enough to, considering her recent odd dizziness in the mornings, which brought nausea. Sighing, she decided she wasn't going to sleep anytime soon.  
"Eugene?" she breathed. When there was no immediate response, only a slight shift of the mattress, she bit her lip. Darn it. "Eugene, I'm sorry. You were so looking forward to the possibility of a baby, and I screwed it up. I hate that I can't give you that. I'm so sorry, it's all my fault and I-I wish I could do something for you to make you feel better. I wish I could talk to you, but every time I try, you avoid it like the plague and I understand why you wouldn't want to talk, but...it's so complicated! And I don't even see the use in talking right now, because you're asleep!" she curled into a tighter ball and buried her face into her pillow, allowing hot tears to drip onto its case.

She felt the mattress bounce, and Eugene's strong arm slipped around her waist and pulled her up against him. "I'm awake. Don't cry, sweetheart, please don't. Don't beat yourself up about it. I shouldn't have been so sure that you'd conceive, anyway. I'm sorry I haven't talked to you about it - it's selfish of me. I didn't want to talk because I was afraid I'd start crying, and how manly is that, exactly? I didn't stop to think that maybe you'd need to talk, too. I'm sorry. I'm more at fault than you are, it's my own fault for being in a mood."  
She pulled away from him to sit up and look at him. "But I'm the reason why you can't even have a kid of your own! I'm the reason why-"  
He sat up as well, shoving a hand through his messy hair in frustration before putting the same hand on the back of her head, pushing his lips against hers just long enough to shut her up. "I should have seen the logical side of things, Rapunzel, so don't worry about me and my attitude, okay? I'll fix myself. You don't have to fix me. Aren't you even upset?"  
Her eyes teared. "More upset than I let on," she admitted. "But I know it was foolish of me to hope to begin with. So I want to help you feel better."  
Eugene slid his arms around her. "C'mere. You don't have to help me, okay? I'll figure things out for myself. Just focus on _you_. Okay? It is not your fault."  
"Yes it-"  
"Is not._"  
_Rapunzel bit her lips to stop her tears. "I'm sorry anyway."  
Chuckling, he shook his head and pulled her closer. "I'm sorry for being a bullheaded moron. Next time, just clock me upside the head with a frying pan."  
She couldn't help but grin. "I won't hit you...with a frying pan. I might throw a book or two at you, though."  
Eugene laughed in surprise. "Dually noted."  
She buried her face into his chest and slipped her skinny arms around him for a few minutes before pulling away again. "So..we're in better agreement now?"  
"Yes. It's not your fault and my attitude is my own issue, but we need to learn that if one wants to talk, the other will set down whatever they're doing and _listen_."  
She agreed, nodding. "It feels good to get that untangled and discussed."  
"I'm glad," he rubbed his eyes. "But why don't we get to sleep? Morning comes early, and our Rose will be off the walls excited for Christmas Eve."  
"After Christmas, will we go to the orphanage to discuss adoption, perhaps?"  
"If you want, yes," he nodded.  
She nodded again, lying down and burrowing underneath the blankets. She'd talk to the doctor before they went to the orphanage, just to rid herself of that last straw of hope, but she would look forward to adoption again, she decided. 


	38. Chapter 38: Surprise, Surprise

January came quickly. On New Year's day, Rapunzel got up bright and early to talk with the castle doctor, seeing as she'd gone way too long with her odd nausea and dizziness. She did so before her husband and daughter were even up yet; thank goodness. She'd been afraid to explain to Eugene why she was going, because he'd just started cheering up and she really didn't want to give him any false hope...right away, anyway.

At six in the morning on a cold January day, the shorthaired princess dashed down the hallways of her large castle. She threw herself through her bedroom door and on top of a lump under their thick blanket. "Eugene! Wake up, wake up, wake up!"

Eugene's head emerged from the blankets and he blinked tiredly at his wife's face. She had way too much energy for it being six AM. "What on earth, Rapunzel...?"

She slid onto her back beside him and grinned. "I'm two and a half months pregnant."

He was sitting up and wide awake within moments. "You're what?!"

She giggled, sitting up as well. "You heard me."

Before anyone could say or do anything else, he grabbed her face and gave her a firm, excited kiss. When he pulled away breathlessly, he didn't even try to conceal his smile. "Rapunzel, that's amazing! So amazing. Oh, honey! I can't believe-you're...!"

She threw her neck back and laughed, exposing her white neck. "Yes."

They didn't tell her parents, at Rapunzel's request. She said that if something went wrong, at least they wouldn't be upset. They did, however, discuss it lightly with Aisling, asking her what she thought of having siblings...to which, she replied eagerly, "I wan' FIVE. Thwee sisters an'... twooo bruthers."  
To which, her parents exchanged amused - and slightly terrified, Rapunzel noticed - glances and overlapped one another in the response of "We'll see."  
"But it be jus' like that book Daddy read wif me las' night!"  
"Hmm...what about _Flynnigan Rider_, where he saves a family of twelve kids?"  
She shook her head so hard that her long hair sprayed out around her and covered her face. "Nuh-uh! That's cw_razy_!"  
Rapunzel laughed, reaching to hug her little Rose. "You're a silly goose."  
"And what's wrong with _Flynn Rider_?" Eugene asked teasingly, reaching to tuck her hair behind her ears.  
"Nuffin," she grinned, displaying the dimples on her chubby cheeks. 

That night, Rapunzel couldn't sleep. Her excitement had evaporated and left behind panic. What if something went wrong, just like the last time? What if it was just some weird fluke and the doctor was wrong? She didn't _feel _like he was wrong, but what did she know? And what if something went wrong later on? During the delivery? What if the baby was too weak? What...  
She paced around the floors of the castle before finally arriving in the sitting-room to gaze out of the floor-to-ceiling window, surveying the kingdom. There was nary a light to be seen, but the stars were out full-force. She grinned wryly as she remembered the old chant she'd said endless times as a young child.  
_Star light, star bright, star I see tonight  
I wish I may, I wish I might- _  
"What's a gorgeous lady like you doing up so late?" she heard this just as she felt strong arms wrap carefully around her shoulders, but she jumped all the same.  
"Eugene!" she gasped. "You scared me!"  
"Sorry," his white-toothed smile stood out in the darkness. "Are you okay? I mean, not because I scared you, but..."  
She bit her lip and turned her gaze back to the outside world. "I'm terrified," she mumbled, placing a hand subconsciously across her stomach.  
"The baby?" he asked, catching the gesture and placing his hand over hers.  
"Mhmm," she was going to chew a hole through her own bottom lip if she didn't stop. "I'm just scared that something goes wrong. Oh, Eugene, what if something _does _go wrong? What if the baby...what if...It...it _can't_ die! And...maybe this was a mistake. Maybe we should've-"  
"Hey," he turned her around so she had to look at him. "Where's my optimistic girl?"  
She gave him a _look_. "Aren't you even worried in the least?"  
"Rapunzel, I'm scared to death. For both you _and _the baby. But we can't worry about that 'til the time comes. Okay?"  
She licked her lips and dropped her gaze to her feet. "Yeah. But-"  
"No buts," he tried to give her a cocky, full-of-himself grin to assure her that she didn't need to worry; one Flynn Rider could've pulled off, but it ended up being a shaky grin like the kind you give when you're about to cry but have to smile anyway. Darn it anyhow. He tipped her chin up so she had to meet his eyes. "It'll be okay, honey. Plus, you can't worry and stress out, or something _will _go wrong."  
She wanted to say he was wrong, but realized he definitely had a point. "Okay."  
"C'mere," he kissed her cheek and pulled her into a hug, rubbing her back comfortingly. "Everything will go alright, and in about seven months, we'll have a new addition."  
She couldn't help but smile - she missed the days when Aisling was a wee baby, and was eager to have another in her arms - of course, she still went to the orphanage and got to hold babies a lot over there, but it just wasn't _the same_. You couldn't take them home and cuddle them and give them all your love, for one. "I can't wait."  
"That's a better attitude, precious girl." he hugged her just a bit tighter before letting her go.


	39. Chapter 39: France

**A/N: Thanks again for all of the reviews, follows, and favorites - they always make my day! And to the lovely person who sent a guest review, if you're reading this, I'd like to thank you! This chapter was inspired by your second suggestion. (:  
**

* * *

March came quickly, and Rapunzel was about four months along when her mother asked her to come with her and the King on a quick, two-week-long trip to France, to conference with Queen Belle.  
When Rapunzel talked it over with her husband that night, he told her that it would be a good opportunity to tell them that she was pregnant, but she probably should go anyway. It wasn't like he wanted to be without her for two weeks, but he also knew that she'd have to go on one of these trips sooner or later. He had already, after all, and he wasn't even true royalty - simply a consort due to his marriage with Rapunzel.

So when they left in the carriage on a sunny March morning, Rapunzel could barely leave her little family. Aisling was _not _pleased with her departure, and started crying and throwing a tantrum. She got her calmed down just long enough to say goodbye, and then gave Eugene a hug, kiss, and a 'good luck' whispered in his ear before she had to leave with her parents.  
She was, quite frankly, surprised that neither of her parents had figured out her condition yet. She was starting to show, and was making sure her corsets were loose enough to accommodate for the changes.

* * *

On the fifth day of their travels, when they finally arrived at the castle, they were greeted with open arms and a banquet. Queen Belle, who was about thirteen years older than Rapunzel and coincidentally expectant with her and King Adam's seventh child, whisked Rapunzel off to show her their library while King Adam and Rapunzel's father and mother discussed current events.  
As she was talking about the books, she kept glancing at Rapunzel, a smile spreading slowly across her face with each glance. Rapunzel looked down at her stomach and put a hand over it, embarrassed and hoping the Queen didn't notice.  
"Are you, too?"  
"Huh?" Rapunzel glanced up, her face growing beet red. When Belle put a hand over her own, obviously swollen stomach, she grinned sheepishly. "Yes."  
"Oh, congratulations, dear! Is it your first child?"  
"Well...it's complicated. I had a, um, miscarriage awhile back, and...so we adopted, and now I'm with child again." she stammered, wondering why she was so embarrassed about talking about this with an experienced woman.  
"You don't have to be embarrassed," Belle's laugh was musical. "Come, we'll sit and read for a little while, maybe before they notice we're absent from the meeting!"  
"Oh!" Rapunzel gasped. "I-I'd love to, but...but my parents would probably prefer it if I-"  
Belle shook her head and grinned. "I'll cover for you. There will be plenty more discussion tomorrow, don't worry. We can attend then."  
"Okay," Rapunzel laughed. If this _Queen _wasn't concerned, she shouldn't be either, right?  
They read and talked about children and expectancy for several hours, until a quick knock came to the library door.  
"Come in," Queen Belle called.  
A shy face appeared, glancing at Rapunzel awkwardly. "Mama, dinner's ready. Papa told me to come fetch you."  
"Alright. Thank you, dear girl!" Belle nodded, and the doe-eyed young girl hurried away, not bothering to shut the door.

At dinner, Rapunzel was ravenous. While there was plenty of food to be had, her mother cast her a ridiculing glance. "Darling, slow down! You've already loosened your corset, you mustn't eat too much or you'll ruin your figure." she hissed quietly.  
Rapunzel set her fork down quietly, clearing her throat. "Sorry."  
"No, it's fine, dear! Eat as much as you'd like," Belle smiled gently.  
"Mother, father, I'd like to talk to you when we are dismissed to our rooms for the evening," Rapunzel announced quietly. She didn't really want an audience of eight for when she announced her pregnancy, even if Belle already knew.  
Smiling, Belle nodded quietly.  
With that, Rapunzel fairly dove headfirst into her second serving of soup and bread.

That evening, when they retired to their guest bedrooms, Rapunzel pulled her parents aside.  
"Are we not feeding you enough at home?" Rapunzel's mother asked, wide-eyed.  
"No, you're feeding me well, but-well...that is...I'm with child."  
Her mother's gasp echoed down the halls of the East Wing. She grabbed her into a hug. "How far along? How long have you known?"  
"Since January, and I'm four months along." she couldn't help the eager smile that split her face. Her father was standing quietly off to the side, but when Rapunzel glanced over at him, his blue eyes were clouded with tears and he was giving her a broad smile.

After the initial excitement wore out, her parents retired to their room and Rapunzel to her own, curling up on her side and using one pillow to hug. She missed Aisling and Eugene so much! She let her hand rest on her stomach and smiled.  
"In five months, you'll get to meet your daddy and older sister. Just please hang in there for us!" she whispered. Now that she had told her parents, the realization that something could still go wrong hit her like a sack of hammers.

* * *

"No!"  
"Aisling, honey...please. We've got to go to bed sometime, sweetheart!" Eugene was bone tired. It was ten o'clock, his three year old daughter was giving him fits, and he'd spent the entire day juggling a toddler and running the entire country. He wanted his wife. And her parents. There was only a week to go, but he was counting the _hours _until their return.  
"I don't wanna. I wan' mommy!"  
"I do too, but she's away right now. I promise she'll be back soon," he reassured her, bending to pick her up. "What if we read for awhile?"  
"No!"  
"Can you say anything else except for no, sweetie?" he asked.  
"N-...yes!"  
He laughed at her near slip-up. "Okay. Just checking. How about we read your favorite fairytale?"  
She gave him a doubtful look. She wasn't dumb, she knew full well that if he read to her, she'd fall asleep. "I don' wanna go sleep."  
"But you have to, baby. If you sleep, then tomorrow will come quickly, and we'll be one day closer to mommy coming home."  
"Are you sure?"  
"Yep," he kissed her cheek, and she giggled, squirming away in surprise.  
"Tickles, daddy!"  
"What, this?" he rubbed his fingers across the scruff he'd allowed to spread up his jawline and around his mouth. Who had time for shaving when you were running a kingdom and chasing after a three year old on your own?  
"Yes! Tickles!"  
"Don't you like it?" he asked, grinning.  
She bumped her head up against his, brushing her cheek against the scruff before giving him a scrutinizing gaze. "It' okay."  
He chuckled. "Okay. Thank you, baby. Now, let's see about that story, hm?"  
She nodded, and let him carry her to the library, where they read for barely a half an hour before she was asleep in his arms.  
He carried her to her bedroom and tucked her in before going to his own bedroom.  
Eugene had no more than gotten comfortable in the bed, Pascal on the pillow next to him, before a quick, frantic knock sounded at the door.  
Biting back a tired sigh, he padded across the room in his bare feet and opened the door. His teary-eyed daughter immediately burst through the door, clinging to his legs.  
"What's the matter, little Rose?"  
"Night-scare," she mumbled into his legs. He could feel how hard she was shaking.  
"I'm sorry, sweetie. C'mere. What was your bad dream about?" he scooped her up and carried her to the huge bed, setting her down beside him before crossing his legs.  
"Mommy ne-never came back," she hiccuped and rubbed her nose. "An' you were gone for_ever_ too."  
"I'm sorry," he scooped her up and cradled her in his arms until her sobs and sniffles subsided. "Mommy will come back, and I'm right here."  
She rubbed her nose on his sleeve. "Do you get nightscares, daddy?"  
"Sometimes," he nodded. "But they never come true, sweetie."  
"Okay." she picked at a loose thread on her nightgown before looking at him shyly. "Can I sleep wif you tonight?"  
How could he say 'no, go back to your bed, you'll be okay' to that face? He couldn't. "Yes, sweetie." she grinned and bounced up to hug his neck a moment before diving under the blankets so quickly he barely even saw her move. Suppressing a chuckle, he flopped over backwards abruptly, making the bed bounce. Aisling giggled, scrambling to pop out from under the blanket so she could see her father.  
"You silly."  
"No, _you're _silly," he teased, tapping the end of her nose with his forefinger before letting her cuddle up against him.

* * *

On their eighth day away from home, the Kings only had a few things to finish up discussing, leaving Rapunzel and her mother free to do anything for the day.  
"Let's go explore the town square!" Rapunzel suggested eagerly. She wanted to bring home something for Aisling, and she was curious about France's town square, which wasn't too far from the castle.  
Her mother agreed, and within two hours, were at the heart of the town square. Rapunzel and the Queen darted from shop to shop, chatting with each other and having a rare mother-daughter day. Rapunzel couldn't wait to share an experience like this with Aisling someday!  
"Oh, let's stop in here," Rapunzel called, spying a promising shop. Her mother browsed idly, but she darted from display to display with her usual energy. She bought a pretty blue silk dress for Aisling, and then allowed herself to look at the baby items. They were just too cute to pass up, but she didn't know whether or not she was having a boy or a girl.  
"What should I do?" she finally asked her mother.  
"You could get something for each, and once it's born and you know what it is, then you can donate the other things to the orphanage. Or hang onto it," she winked, and Rapunzel blushed. Of course, she knew her mother meant that there may be another time that they adopt, seeing as this was some sort of wonderful fluke.  
"Okay," she grinned, going back to choose a smart little suit for a baby boy and a frilly little dress for a baby girl, as well as a toy for either and then a very soft stuffed animal for Aisling - a cat, which seemed to be her favorite animal for the moment.  
Finally, they left the store, and the Queen suggested a stop at the book store, where they bought books for their husbands. Laughing, Rapunzel realized that growing up, she'd never even imagined having such an experience with her mother: going to a different country and buying gifts for her _daughter, husband, and unborn child! _She could barely suppress a squeak of happiness at the thought.

In the afternoon, they ate sandwiches from a small pub - which her mother was horrified at going to, so Rapunzel went inside to order and came back out quickly, seeing as the men were much less cordial than the thugs from the Snuggly Duckling - and then resumed their day.  
When afternoon drifted into evening, Rapunzel glanced towards her mother, her eyes wide. "We need to get back to the castle! It's nearly dark."  
The Queen nearly dropped her packages. They'd both lost track of time, and now were very deep into the town square, which had proven to be much more massive than Corona's quaint town square.  
"Oh, dear," the Queen glanced around sharply, "we should not have gone without a guide, perhaps."  
"We'll find our way back!" Rapunzel shook her head and took her mother's hand. "I promise!"  
"And how are you so sure?"  
She swung around, mildly offended by her mother's uncertainty. "When I make a promise, I never, _ever _break that promise. Ever. And I know we'll make it back before dark!"  
"Who knows what kind of ruffians roam the streets at night here? The pub-"  
"It'll be _fine_, mother!" Rapunzel said, mildly exasperated. But at the thought, fear prickled in the back of her mind. And she had one more to worry about, to boot...Shaking her head, she steered her thoughts towards navigation and away from panicking. Grabbing her mother's hand, she surged forward with false certainty.  
Three hours later, they had somehow managed to be back at the center of the town square. "See? We're almost there! Two hours more and we'll be back at the castle to put our feet up!"  
"But do we have to turn anywhere?"  
"No," Rapunzel shook her head. "It's a straight shot."  
"Are you sure?" her mother shook _her _head. "I think perhaps we turn left."  
"Well, let's see if we can spot the castle lights from here, then!" Rapunzel glanced around and spied a gutter and a barrel nearby, which had been turned upside down. Rushing over to it, she hopped up onto it, despite her mother's calls to be _careful, for goodness' sake! _When she balanced up on the barrel, she still couldn't see the castle quite yet, so she carefully crawled up onto the wooden gutter, on her hands and knees and shaking just a bit with worry that she'd fall. When she got to the even part and knew it wouldn't give with her weight, she carefully stood up and peered over the cottage roofs.  
"Straight shot! I was right, mother!" she called, nearly forgetting to keep her balance. She almost tumbled from the gutter, but ducked onto all fours just in time. She crawled carefully down to the barrel, and jumped before it could tip over. "Tada!" she laughed, but she touched her stomach anyhow and ignored the look of disapproval that her mother flashed.

Three _more _hours later and after a minor turnaround in which the Queen had nearly suffered a panic attack, they were back at the castle.

* * *

The carriage rolled up to the castle entrance back in Corona, and Aisling was inside the carriage and hugging her mother before Rapunzel could even move.  
Laughing, she cuddled her daughter and kissed her forehead. "Hello, my little Rose! Were you a good girl?"  
"Yes, mommy, but I miss'ded you!"  
Laughing, she kissed her hair. "I missed you too, baby girl! But..." she trailed off and gave her a sly smile. "I brought you something home."  
Her eyes widened in excitement, and whirled around to scramble out of the carriage. Eugene, who Rapunzel hadn't even noticed coming over, caught her a split second before she leaped from the carriage, and set her down on the ground. Rapunzel leaned out of the carriage to watch the little girl scamper up the stone stairs, calling a 'be careful' when she stumbled.  
Shaking her head and grinning, she turned her attention back to Eugene.  
"Hey, you," he gave her a charming grin.  
"Hey yourself," she teased, and he reached into the carriage to help her out. "Thank you, sweetie."  
"Mhmm," he didn't let her go right away; instead, he pulled her into a kiss - which only lasted a second, because Aisling gave an impatient yell.  
Laughing, Rapunzel pulled away and slipped from her husband's arms, mouthing "We'll catch up later," before leaning in to get her brown paper bags.

Aisling finally settled down to bed at around nine, clutching her new stuffed animal, and Rapunzel and Eugene retired to bed as well when she was put to bed.  
Eugene promptly pulled her into a kiss, but Rapunzel pulled away, finally realizing the scruff which had only grown longer in the second week. She scrunched her nose. "Too busy to shave?"  
"Yes," he laughed. "What, don't you like it?" he promptly nuzzled her cheek before brushing his lips quickly up against the spot just below her earlobe, and she laughed, recoiling away from him.  
"You're not touching me 'til you get rid of that, honey. I'm sorry, but...wow. Scratchy."  
"Aisling likes it," he commented teasingly. "Sort of."  
"Does she?" Rapunzel laughed.  
"So-so," he grinned, waving his hand back and forth. "She wavers between laughing at it and hating it. But I'll shave tomorrow. She uses it to pull on when she's having a tantrum."  
Gasping, Rapunzel laughed. "Oh, dear. I'll be happy when she's out of the tantrum phase."  
"You and me both, sweetie," he chuckled.  
After they had changed for bed, Rapunzel fairly collapsed into bed with a tired groan. "I'm soo tired..."  
Eugene grinned. "I bet. How did everything go? And how are you feeling?"  
She settled a hand over the small bulge protruding from what used to be a flat stomach. "Everything went well. Queen Belle is expectant with their...oh...seventh? Seventh child, I think. So we were talking about kids and everything," she smiled. "And oh, I'm so excited!"  
He laughed quietly. "I am, too."  
"How did everything go for you?"  
He gave her a look of mock horror. "Yoi. Busy. Between trying to run the country and chase after a very strong-willed three year old..." he flopped dramatically back onto a pillow and covered his face with his arms.  
Giggling, Rapunzel reached to poke his side, which she knew to be extremely ticklish. "Oh, I'm sure you did well."  
He chuckled, trying to push her hand away. "Hey. Quit! You wouldn't like it if I tickled-"  
"Okay. Point made," Rapunzel grinned teasingly, letting him off the hook. For now.  
"I thought you were tired, anyway."  
"I am, but I wanted to catch up with my hubby."  
He grinned teasingly. "And I can't even kiss you goodnight," he pushed his lips out in a part pout, part smolder, and Rapunzel giggled.  
"Oh, you're awful. C'mere." she leaned over to kiss him, trying her best to avoid the scratchy mess he called facial hair, and then cuddled snug up against his side, letting him stroke her hair until they fell asleep.


	40. Chapter 40: Sorrow and Delight

Rapunzel peeled an eye open and touched a hand to her swollen stomach. It was May and she was six months along already! She had yet to feel the baby moving, but she was two-thirds of the way through her term, and that was amazing. Eugene must have already gone to work, and she was ravenous. _What time is it, anyway? _she thought as she sat up and rubbed a hand through her choppy hair. She didn't hear Aisling, so she must still be asleep. She threw on the same dress she'd worn yesterday and then padded down the hallway to Aisling's room.  
"Hey, baby girl," she whispered. "Wake up!"  
She knelt beside her bed with a little effort and tickled her chubby belly gently to wake her up. When she did, she immediately smiled.  
"G'mornin', mommy!"  
"Morning, sweetheart! Let's get dressed and get breakfast, maybe we'll go for a walk in the garden today."  
That got her moving! Aisling shot out of bed waited impatiently for Rapunzel to find one of her play dresses. When she was dressed and her long brown hair braided, she bounded down the hallway, headed for the dining hall.

"Your breakfast is cold."  
The chef himself served Aisling and Rapunzel, and he wasn't amused. It was eight o'clock and they were both two hours later than normal - unacceptable!  
"Oh, that's alright. Thank you," Rapunzel responded with a kiss on his cheek, and he snorted indignantly. While he was distracted by his disgust, she snagged another pancake to add to her pile. She was _starving_.  
"You'll never lose that extra weight, Princess. Don't think I didn't notice that."  
"I'm eating for two!" she exclaimed through her mouthful. Glancing around, she realized her parents weren't there. "Where are my parents?"  
"You're forgetful as all get-out, and very unprincesslike. They left for their trip to Germany earlier this morning; won't be back for a month. Don't you remember?"  
"Oh!" Rapunzel bit her lip. She'd forgotten since last night. "I do now. Thank you."  
He nodded, making a hasty exit.  
Rapunzel felt a pang of regret. She hadn't been awake to see her parents off. Of course, she was sure they understood, but...still.  
Turning to her own daughter, Rapunzel laughed. "C'mere, you've got stickies all over your face, darling!"  
Aisling grinned sheepishly as her mother wiped the thick, stringy maple syrup from her chin, cheeks, and - and even her nose! "Thank you, mommy."  
"You're welcome, baby." She swung around when she heard the dining hall door open. "Eugene?"  
"Mmhmm. You're finally up, I see," he gave her a halfhearted smile and plopped a kiss on her forehead before sitting down, snagging a piece of pancake from her plate. Making a face, he gulped. "That was cold."  
"That's what you get for stealing food from your pregnant wife's plate!" she exclaimed indignantly. "What're you doing home already, anyway?"  
"Ah," he shrugged. "Tell you later."  
"Okay. Well, until then, we were going to go walk in the garden, but if you're home for the day, why don't we go on our favorite trail with Aisling?"  
He smiled. "Sounds like the best plan in the world."

* * *

The day sped by all too quickly, and Aisling was absolutely tuckered out and positively grumpy by the time she went to bed at seven-thirty.  
"I can't believe she's turning five in a couple of months," Rapunzel murmured, the realization hitting her as she stroked her sleeping daughter's head.  
"Mhmm. Can you believe we've been married for the same amount of time?" he asked, slipping quietly out of the bedroom and holding the door for her.  
"Huh-uh," she shook her head and grinned, easing the door closed. "Knowing you has been the best seven years of my life, though, just for the record."  
"Mutual," he pecked her cheek. "Now...what do we do now that it's not even eight o'clock yet?"  
"Eat." Rapunzel giggled quietly.  
"Hey, I'm always down for that," he winked and took her hand, leading her to the kitchen. Most of the maids were just finishing up work or already leaving for supper with their families, so the kitchen would likely be clear. Eugene paused at the doorway, poking an eye in the crack in the door, acting like this was some dangerous mission. Of course, he was doing this with the hope that he'd be rewarded with a smile or a laugh from his pretty wife. That's all he wanted today. She giggled, placing a hand over her rounded belly.  
"You're terrible," she shook her head, nibbling her lips furiously to try to keep from giving him a grin.  
"I know, but you love it."  
"Do I?" she asked teasingly.  
Shaking his head, he rolled his eyes and swung the door open. "Your kitchen awaits, m'lady."  
"Why're you so silly this evening?" she asked, finally grinning. "Are you trying to distract me from your absence from work today?"  
His goofy smile faded. She knew. "So you didn't forget."  
"No, I didn't." she snagged a fresh green apple from a basket and reached to smear syrup over it - one of her odd new cravings.  
He sighed, leaning his elbows on the counter in the middle of the kitchen. "Well...the old man passed away yesterday."  
Rapunzel gasped, nearly dropping her apple. "Oh!"  
"His sons want nothing to do with the business, but they don't want to sell it to anyone else - they're going to tear it down. I offered to help them with anything they needed help with, but they don't want my assistance." he sighed and stared off into the distance. "I'm going to miss that cooky old guy."  
Rapunzel swallowed, setting her fruit on the counter and reaching to slip her arms around him - something that always ended up being awkward anymore, since they were separated by her fairly large stomach. "I'm so sorry, Eugene. That's terrible!"  
"Eh...he was old, I guess. He just died in his sleep. At least it wasn't the plague or something else awful like that."  
She nodded, watching his face. "You okay?"  
"I don't know," he shrugged his shoulders up to his ears for a moment, looking like a very small child. "I just...I guess I kind of viewed him as a father, which is stupid. He just reminded me of my Pa." his voice cracked, and he shook his head.  
"I'm sorry," she said quietly.

He tore his gaze away from the wall, where he'd been staring blankly, and turned his attention to Rapunzel for a moment before slipping his arms tightly around her - one around her shoulders, one around her waist with his hand pressing into the small of her back - and then he bent and buried his face in her hair. Surprised, she slid her arms around him and rubbed his back comfortingly.  
After a few minutes of complete silence, he pulled away, swallowing. His eyes were rimmed with red.  
"Oh, honey..." she reached up to wipe his tear-stained cheeks and he backed up a couple of steps, giving a self-deprecating laugh.  
"I shouldn't be this upset about it. He was just my employer."  
"But he reminded you of your father, and you two were pretty close," she replied. "It's okay. It's okay to mourn."  
"Not for me. I'm tougher than that," he gritted his jaw, as if he was trying to convince himself of that.  
"No, you're not. I saw you crying the other day when Aisling fell on the cobblestones and skinned her knees," Rapunzel pointed out. "It's okay."  
He clenched his jaw harder, but Rapunzel pulled him back into her arms.  
"I wi-wish you weren't so persistent," he mumbled. "I'd be okay if you'd let me-"  
"There's a difference between compartmentalization and healing," Rapunzel said, backing away. "But if you don't want me to comfort you, fine." She knew her sharp-spoken words probably stung him, but they'd slipped out.  
"It's not..." he trailed off and sighed in apparent frustration. "I'm just confused right now."  
"I'm sorry. It just slipped out...I know I shouldn't have-"  
He shook his head, seizing the opportunity to tease her and distract both of them from the situation. "Well, at least you have an excuse to be having mood swings!"  
She shook her head and put her hand across her stomach. "You're trying to distract me again."  
"That's what I do when I'm upset, Blondie. It's how I deal with stuff like this."  
"I know, and-" she broke off short when she felt something press against the inside of her belly up against the hand she'd spread across the outside of it. It was followed by a couple of quick little bumps, and she couldn't help but grin at Eugene with excitement. "-and...I just felt our baby move for the first time."  
His eyebrows shot up, and his heart skipped a beat as he temporarily forgot about all the sadness and confusion. She'd just felt their baby move. It was okay. It was still alive. It was well. His mouth went dry when he tried to say something, but she snagged one of his calloused hands to press over the area where she'd felt it move. He just barely felt it move one last time, but it was enough for him to stare at Rapunzel with an incredulous expression. 


	41. Chapter 41:Father's Day and Surprises

On Father's Day, Rapunzel was planning on waking up early. She really was. She wanted to help Aisling plan a nice day for Eugene. Until she woke up at around nine-thirty in the morning, an astronomically late time.  
Groaning in disgust with herself, she got up and dressed as quickly as she could - she was just barely over eight months along; her belly was very large and strained against her petite frame. She was starting to realize why pregnancy had been so hard on her ancestors.  
Plodding to the dining hall as quickly as she could, she saw that Eugene had waited for her.  
"Good morning, honey," he smiled. "How are you feeling?"  
That was enough to make her burst into tears. "I'm sorry!" she choked. "I was planning out a spectacular day for you and Aisling and-and I wanted to get up before you did and-...and-"  
"Hey," he strode over to her, but she wouldn't stop whimpering apologies. Finally, he sighed and ducked to give her a kiss, just long enough to shut her up. He knew it was a near-deadly practice at this time, but it did work to distract her.

She shoved his chest and pushed him away with surprising force and glowered at him, balling her hands into fists and snapping, "Don't _do _that, Eugene! I'm trying-"  
"It works every time, though," he gave her a teasing grin. "And don't worry about it, sweetie. We'll have plenty of other father's days. Aisling already gave me a kiss on the cheek and a handmade card, and that's enough. We don't need to have a grandiose day, either - I'm beyond happy to spend the day playing tea party with our little Rose. That aside, how are you feeling this morning?"  
She licked her lips, brushing the tears from her outburst off of her cheeks. "If you're sure..."  
"I'm sure. Answer my question, hm?"  
"I'm feeling fine," she said. "I'm sorry. I overreacted, didn't I?"  
He chuckled. "It's normal." he brushed a lock of her hair behind her hair and kissed her cheek. "Now...let's eat. I bet you're really hungry, right?"  
"So-so," she wavered her hand back and forth, surprised at her lack of hunger and almost nausea at the idea of eating. "Where's Aisling?"  
"She's in her room playing," he pulled a chair out for her to sit in, and then went to get the food himself from the kitchen - the chef had been furious at the idea of his freshly-cooked meals going cold before being eaten, so he had threatened Eugene with going to wake the 'lazy princess' himself if he had to wait until some awful hour to serve breakfast. Eugene had told him that he needn't act out towards the girl (he really needed to stop calling Rapunzel a 'girl'...she was married and in her twenties. She was a _lady_. He smiled in surprise at this thought, realizing he'd been there to witness her growth from a sheltered girl to the outgoing, beautiful woman she was today) and he had given the chef leave to do as he wished for the rest of the morning, promising he could serve himself.

After that, they spent the entire day playing with Aisling and relaxing. Rapunzel couldn't shake the feeling that something was off - though she couldn't figure out _what_ \- and just wanted her parents to be back home. Surely, nothing was wrong with them. They were likely aboard the ship, en route back home from Germany. _They'll be home soon,_ she told herself.

* * *

Rapunzel found herself increasingly uncomfortable and towards evening, an occasional and brief stab of pain would seem to fill her. At approximately one-thirty in the morning, Rapunzel found out exactly what was _off_, and why she was so uncomfortable...when her water broke.  
"No, no no no no!" she cried. It was too soon - she still had a little over a month to go. She was well-versed with knowledge about prematurely born babies; they didn't often live. Even at just around eight months, the chance of survival was not the greatest.  
Eugene woke at her cry, and sat up, rubbing his eyes and looking at her groggily. "What..wrong?"  
"My water just broke. The baby's coming and it's too soon and I'm hardly even eight months along and oh, what if somethi-ng happens?" her voice caught as she felt a strong twinge of pain, which only confirmed the fact that their baby was on its way.  
That woke him up. He was out of bed in an instant, and headed for the door. But then he turned back towards his wife and headed for the bed. Rethinking whatever he'd thought, he turned back towards the door, muttering to himself. "Okay. We just have to stay calm. Everything will be okay. Right? Yeah. Stay here, I'll get the-no. You come with me. Doctor's quarters. We need to go to the doctor's quarters. Can you walk? No-I'll just carry you."  
Finally getting his brain to function, he scooped his wife up.  
"I can walk!" she exclaimed.  
"I know you can, but I don't want you to fall down or crumple in on yourself and go down."

As soon as they made it into the doctor's quarters within the castle, the efficient old man pushed a long couch close to the fireplace and instructed Eugene to set Rapunzel down on it. He kept the nervous young man busy on purpose: light a fire in the fireplace, go down to the kitchen to boil some water and bring it up in this bowl; get some clean linens from this closet, get the baby's blanket and have it on hand, get this bottle of turpentine oil (which was to be used for its antibacterial purposes) and get this knife and clean it in some _more _boiling water.

By the time Eugene made it back to Rapunzel, she was sweating and writhing on the couch. He knelt on the floor and reached to take her hand reassuringly.  
"I'm scared," she whimpered. He could feel her breath coming out in hot, fast puffs.  
"It's going to be okay, sweetheart. I promise. Nothing's going to happen to you or the baby." he brushed a clump of sweaty hair away from her face and kissed her forehead. "You're a tough cookie."  
"No I'm not, I'm-" the breath caught in her throat and she squeezed Eugene's hand into an incredibly tight grip. A loud, agonized cry tore through her, and that was when he felt lightheaded for a moment. He wasn't scared of the blood or the birthing process - he was scared he'd lose her. He knew her family history. He knew his mother's cries as she birthed his baby sister, and they still bounced inside his head and haunted him sometimes. He related those cries, which were now coming from _the love of his life_...the one he'd died for...he related those cries with death. Oh, what if he lost her? If everything went okay, they were _never _going to have another biological child. Ever.  
"Snap out of it," the doctor gruffly slapped Eugene on the back to grab his attention.

Thirty minutes later, the loud, gasping cries of a tiny baby filled the room, but Rapunzel didn't even have time to relish the moment.  
"Something's wrong," she choked. The doctor, who had turned to tend to their child, swung around to look at her. Before Eugene could even react, he'd handed the screaming, bloodied child to him and instructed him on how to tend to it.  
"You go over there and take care of your first 'un. The second's on its way."  
"Twins?" Eugene cried, overlapping Rapunzel's hoarse yell of "_I have to do this again_?!"  
Then, the princess panicked. "I can't-do-this!"  
"Yes, ya can. It's jes' a repeat event." the doctor's Irish accent came through thickly - which only happened when he was worried. "Jes' do what ya did a few minutes ago. It's a boy, so ya know. Your first 'un's a boy."

She was exhausted, and the second birth was by far harder than the first, despite the fact that the second baby was much smaller than the first.  
The room was silent.  
No sobs filled the room until Rapunzel realized that she hadn't heard the second baby cry, and then she buried her face in her hands and started to hyperventilate, choking and sobbing as she did so.  
"Calm 'er down," the doctor yelled sharply at Eugene, who had just wrapped the baby boy in the blue blanket (he'd brought both the blue and the pink blankets in his nervousness).  
"Honey, hey. Look at me," he moved over to his wife, holding the baby he'd hardly even had time to appreciate. "Look at me. Or look at your little boy."  
"It's all my fault," she groveled from behind her hands.  
"How could it be your fault, honey?" he gently pried her hands away from her face. "It's okay. The doc's doing everything he can." he glanced up to see the doctor rubbing the tiny infant vigorously.  
"Is the first one okay?" she asked, suddenly overcome with worry for it, too. She couldn't lose both of them.  
"Yeah," he glanced down at the small, red face. "Yeah, he's okay. If you want to hold him, it might calm you down."  
With painstaking slowness, she propped herself up and Eugene settled the small bundle into her arms. Although she held the first one, she could hardly keep her eyes off of the doctor. It had been exactly three minutes.  
_It's dead_, she swallowed hard and tried to focus on the baby she held in her arms. The smaller baby was the second infant of hers that had died, if you included the one she'd lost to miscarriage. Her eyes teared, but before she could blink them away, she heard a tiny gasp and bleat.  
"Hah-ah!" the doctor yelled. "It's alive!"  
She gasped, and Eugene shot up from where he'd knelt beside the couch. "Is it okay?" they both asked.  
"She's a wee little 'un, and she'll need a lot of attention, but she's alive for now." he readjusted his glasses again and tended to the baby himself, ensuring that the baby was likely healthy, despite its rough entrance into the world. When he was finished, he deposited the second baby into Rapunzel's arms as well.  
"I'll let ya hold 'em for a few minutes, nurse 'em maybe, but then you'll have to give 'em up so I can examine _you _and so ya can get rest. I'll make myself scarce 'til it's time for your own checkup." he finally let his gruff face split into a smile. "And congratulations, princess. Ya did well."  
When he left, she finally looked down at the _two_ new additions to their family. The girl was a few inches smaller than the boy and seemed so tiny she'd break if anyone as much as touched her. The little boy was small enough!  
"You did an amazing job, sweetheart," Eugene looked almost shyly at his wife, and she grinned tiredly.  
"As long as they're okay."  
"They will be," he bent to kiss her sweaty forehead. "Want me to take one while you feed the other?"  
"M'kay," she nodded. She let him take the tiny pink bundle and he handed her a burp cloth, which she positioned over her shoulder and the baby's head before preparing to nurse.

* * *

Five hours later, it was approximately nine o'clock and Rapunzel was rested up. Both babies were asleep, but she was heeding the doctor's instructions and keeping them bundled up and near the small fire to keep them warm - despite the fact that it was mid-June and positively, unbearably, _hot_. She was _almost_ happy with the fact that she could lounge around and study the babies' faces and tiny fingers and toes, marveling at the fact that they were their very own. It felt amazing to have not one, but _two_ babies in her arms again - it had been too long since Aisling had outgrown her arms.  
At this thought, Rapunzel heard the door open quietly, and Eugene entered with Aisling clinging to his hand shyly.  
"Hey, baby girl," Rapunzel called quietly. "Are you ready to meet your new brother and sister?"  
She nodded and smiled. Eugene instructed her to stay quiet, so she did, tiptoeing quickly over to Rapunzel's side.  
"They're soo little. And...wrinkly," she wrinkled her own nose, and it was all Rapunzel could do not to laugh.  
"They were born a little early, so we have to take extra-special care of them so they'll grow big and strong like you. And they won't always look so 'wrinkly'," she grinned.  
"What're their names?"  
"We haven't decided yet. What do you recommend?" she asked.  
Aisling tapped her lip - Rapunzel laughed as she realized it was a trait of Emilie's, who had been watching Aisling this morning until Eugene had finally left her side - and finally said, "Periwinkle and Jasmine."  
"Which is the boy's name? Periwinkle? And the girl Jasmine?"  
"Mhm! Just like in those storybooks Daddy gave me."  
Rapunzel bit back a quiet laugh. "We'll see."  
"Why are they sleeping? They spent a really long time sleeping."  
"Being born is hard work, I guess," she said.  
"Ohh," she stared at each of the baby's faces in turn and then lost interest, swinging around to look at Eugene. "Can I go play with Emilie some more?"  
He chuckled. "Are your new siblings boring, huh? Yes, you may. Just be good, sweetie. I'll be out in a little bit."  
She grinned and hugged his legs before racing out of the door.  
Shaking her head, Rapunzel watched after the rambunctious little girl. "She's something else."  
"Mmhmm," he nodded and looked around, finding a chair to pull up beside the couch. "How are you feeling?"  
"Tired," she glanced down at the sleeping babies. "Tired, but it's a happy kind of tired. Not the heartsick kind of tired and not the plain old tired kind of tired. You know what I mean?"  
He nodded, reaching to stroke her cheek a second. "Okay. If you feel even the slightest bit off, you tell me right away, okay? Or the doctor, or..someone."  
"I will, sir mother-hen!"  
"Hey, I can coddle my wife if I want," he teased her quietly.  
"I'd worry more about your youngest daughter," she focused on the small face and nibbled her lip. "Do you think she'll be okay?"  
"I don't doubt it. She's breathing, and she ate and is functioning just like any other newborn; they're just both premature and she's the smaller of the two."  
"The doctor said she only weighed three pounds...and he weighs five. They're both underweight."  
"They'll get bigger though, they just have to eat more. Are you going to nurse them, or do you want me to see if we can get a companion for our Royal Nanny Goat?"  
Rapunzel giggled, but then grimaced. She was way too sore to be laughing. But she couldn't help but remember the look on her father's face when he had gone to the barn to see the goat that had just appeared, back when they had adopted Aisling. "As much as I'd love to see my father's face when he'd come home from Germany to _another _goat and the bonus prize of _two more kiddos_, I think I'll nurse them unless I can't produce enough milk for both of them."  
"Sounds good," he nodded. "Your parents are going to freak when they find out they missed the birth of these little guys by just a few days."  
"Mother will have a fit," she nodded.  
"And speaking of feeding, I asked the maids to prepare some breakfast for you. They'll be in soon, I suppose," he said.  
She made a face. "I really don't feel like eating."  
"I know you probably want to throw up at the idea of food, but you have to eat. It'll keep your strength up, let alone allow you to keep feeding them."  
"I know," she nodded. "Just...ick."  
He grinned. "It'll be alright. I love you, precious girl."  
Rapunzel smiled. "Love you too. Stop worrying about me."

"I'll try, but I won't promise it." he kissed her cheek.  
"And what should we name these two sweethearts?" she asked.  
"Well...Johanna is Hebrew for 'gift from God', and Flynn means 'ruddy'. His little face hasn't lost the reddish appearance yet."  
She bit back a laugh. "Gift from God and then ruddy. You're just trying to get your son named after your favorite book character."  
"And what's wrong with that?" he tried to pout, but ended up with a grin instead.  
"Nothing," she smiled. "We'll maybe just think about it before we make any life-long decisions."  
"Okay. Don't just blow the idea off, though, mind..." he teased, and her grin widened.  
"If you make me laugh, I'm going to have to beat you up."  
"That'd be hard to do with two babies in your arms," he pointed out.  
"You're going to go that way?" Rapunzel threw back.  
"Yes, I am," he grinned. "Now, can I take one of those little bundles so you can rest one of your arms?"


	42. Chapter 42: Johanna and Zachary (Pt 2)

The evening of the day that the twins were born, Eugene came plodding into the doctor's quarters with a couple of blankets.  
"Hey," she said quietly. "What's up?"  
"Nothing much. How are you feeling?"  
"I'm fine," she glanced down at the babies, whom she still cuddled in her arms - she'd hardly let the doctor take them long enough to do a checkup earlier - and grinned. "Is Aisling asleep?"  
"Mmhmm. We read a few chapters in-"  
"Don't tell me. _Flynnigan Rider_?"  
He chuckled quietly, scooting a chair over beside the couch Rapunzel had spent the day in. "Yep. She's an awesome daughter."  
Rapunzel smirked. "You'll have two more to pass the legacy on to, and I'm sure our little Rose will help you out with that. Just hope your son isn't as unruly as you were!"  
He leaned over to kiss her forehead. "What's wrong with that?"  
"Oh, I don't know - maybe a royal that thieves and runs around a wanted thief wouldn't sound very good?" she teased.  
"Hey! I have legitimate reasons called survival. You know that wasn't the true me." he shook his head.  
"I know," she glanced down and placed gentle kisses on each baby's head. "Why aren't you in bed yet? It's probably close to...ten? You were up all last night with me."  
"I can't sleep," he admitted.  
"Why not?"  
"That bed's too big, for one, and maybe I'm a little worried."  
"Why?" she rolled her eyes up to watch him.  
"My mother," he shrugged his shoulders to his ears. "I know, it's silly, but...I was really scared. Still am."  
She softened and nibbled her lip. "I know. So are you going to sleep here?"  
"Yup. I'll take the kiddos so you can curl up however you'd like. And of course, I'll wake you when it's time for their next feeding."  
She nodded. "If you do that, I might have to sneak down to grab some tea and crackers before I go to sleep, though."  
"I see your appetite has returned," he grinned, "that's good. Want me to get them for you?"  
She shook her head. "If I lay down one more minute, I'm going to go crazy. My legs are all cramped and tingly."  
"Okay," he grinned, bending over to scoop the twins from her arms, holding them gently but awkwardly. "I'll accompany you."  
She watched how he carried them and laughed, putting a hand over her sore stomach. "You're not going to break them, honey."  
"I know, but...they're so little. Smaller than Aisling."  
"They'll grow, I'm sure."

* * *

Grow they did. Five days later, when the King and Queen returned, they were already gaining weight and growing a little bit longer. They were finally allowed to sleep in their cradles in Rapunzel and Eugene's room, as opposed to being kept by a warm fire all day long so they wouldn't catch a chill or get ill due do their prematurity.  
And their names were officially Johanna Lillie and Zachary Reid. (_"It's a perfect name," Eugene had said. " 'Remembered by God'. C'mon, it's not Flynn! And Reid is synonymous with Flynn as far as the name definition goes.")  
__  
_When the King and Queen came home, they not only found another nanny goat (as Rapunzel was unable to produce enough milk for both of them), they also were met by two more additions to the family.  
"Where's Rapunzel? Sleeping?" the Queen asked Eugene when he met them at the door.  
"No, she's in the new nursery, painting," he said, smiling pleasantly.  
"Oh, please don't tell me she's up on a stepladder! I told her not to do that while we were gone, and-and how dare _you _to let her do something like-"  
"She's not on a stepladder. At least, not that I know of the last time I checked up on her. Why don't you go see her? She's been excited for your arrival home."  
The Queen handed her luggage to a maid and went to the nursery immediately, followed by the King and Eugene.

"Rapunzel, darling, how are you?" she asked before she even opened the door the whole way.  
Yes, Rapunzel was on a stepladder. But she also had both babies in their cradles and were watching them as she painted. Aisling was helping her; creating her own little designs close to the floor.  
"Gran'mamma! Look what I painted!" Aisling immediately pulled the Queen's attention away.  
Playing along, the Queen gave Rapunzel a _look _before crouching to see her granddaughter's work. "Oh, it's beautiful, sweetie! Who are you with?"  
"Me and Jo and Zachhie."  
"That's nice, little Rose. Who are they?"  
"My brother an' sister!" she grinned up at her before turning back to her work as if it was no big deal.  
"Your..." she looked up as Eugene helped Rapunzel off of the stepladder.  
"I gave birth five days ago. They're twins...a wee little boy and an even tinier little girl." she beamed up at Eugene for a moment before moving quickly to the cradles and easing each of them out. "Mother, Father, meet Johanna Lillie Fitzherbert and Zachary Reid Fitzherbert."  
Eugene laughed. "Now that you've said their full names out...that's quite a mouthful. I'm so sorry."  
Rapunzel grinned. "Well...with a last name of Fitzherbert, it's gonna be a mouthful to begin with. Not like I'd have it any other way," she teased. She carefully deposited the babies into her parents' arms, and before she could do anything more, Eugene slipped an arm loosely around her midsection. Aisling hurriedly dropped her paintbrushes to peek at the babies, babbling on about what she was going to teach them when they got older and how 'Zachhie' looked more like daddy than 'Jo' did.  
"She's going to make a great older sister," Eugene bent to whisper into his wife's ear.  
"Mmhmm, for sure," she smiled as she watched the scene before her. Ten years ago, when Rapunzel was only fourteen, she would never have imagined standing here, in a castle, watching her true parents - _the King and Queen of Corona - _interact with the three children she was the mother to...while in the arms of an ex-thief. She grinned as she considered how her fourteen year old self would have reacted to that knowledge.


	43. Chapter 43: Bombshell

Rapunzel woke up early on Christmas morning. A quick peek in on the kids let her know that they were all still asleep, even Aisling - which was amazing.  
The twins, Johanna and Zachary, had grown like weeds in the months since June, and they were now six months old. Johanna was still tiny compared to her brother, but she made up for it with spunk. Her dark brown eyes and thick, brown hair made her look like her father; her brother had inherited Rapunzel's curious green eyes. Despite their early start in life, they were healthy and had _very _strong lungs, which they exercised regularly in babbling and every single time they decided it was time to eat.  
But Christmas day, it was quite the silent _morning_ at around five-thirty. They had spent plenty of time up through the night, getting Aisling to fall asleep despite her concern that Saint Nicholas would not come. (Rapunzel could have slapped Eugene for telling her about the legend about the man.) Therefore, Rapunzel supposed they were going to sleep in a little longer than usual.

She burrowed under the blankets, squeezing her eyes shut and shivering - it was _cold _in the castle hallway - and then peeled an eye open to look at her husband, who she presumed to still be asleep. She squeaked in mild surprise when she realized she was nose-to-nose with him, and he was watching her. He laughed.  
"Did I surprise you?"  
"Mmhmm," she kissed the tip of his nose, and he reached to slip his arms around her.  
"Are the kids still asleep?"  
"Mmhmm. I'm surprised," she added. "You know how worried Aisling was last night."  
He grinned sheepishly. "Maybe I shouldn't have planted that seed in her head..."  
"Ya think?" she shoved his chest teasingly and then poked a slim finger into his side, knowing exactly how ticklish he was in that spot.  
The teasing continued for a short while, punctuated with quick kisses and the reptilian grumbles of an old and disgruntled Pascal, until a quick series of knocks came on their bedroom door.  
"Shh," Eugene whispered. "It's Aisling, I'll bet. C'mere." he pulled the comforters and blankets over their heads and held a finger to his lips, signaling for Rapunzel to be still and quiet.  
"Momma...daddy...wake up! It's _Christmas!_" an impatient huff came, and Rapunzel bit back a giggle. She heard the door open, and Eugene nibbled his lip in anticipation. When she pounced on top of Eugene, he and Rapunzel both flew upright, yelling to surprise her. Loosing a high-pitched scream, she nearly fell off of the bed, but Eugene grabbed her before she could and then started tickling her. Now shrieking with laughter, she pulled away and collapsed across Rapunzel's lap.  
"Save me," she giggled breathlessly, so Rapunzel's natural response was to tickle her five year old's chubby belly.  
"Are you ready for Christmas?" Rapunzel asked, letting her sit up before she stopped breathing from laughing so hard.  
"Mhmm!" she nodded three or four times, grinning to expose the front tooth gap she was now sporting after recently losing a tooth. Her hair was a static-y mess and Eugene took advantage of that by waving a hand over her head and having a cloud of her long brunette locks follow it.  
"Then let's go get dressed. I'll meet you in your room in approximately ten minutes; soon as I'm dressed!" she kissed her daughter's cheek and sent her on her way. She slipped behind the dressing-curtain and quickly slipped on the dress Eugene had gotten her for her nineteenth birthday, barely squeezing into the bodice. Then she stepped out from behind the curtain, trying to fasten her favorite necklace - the one she'd gotten from her parents on her first Christmas home - behind her neck.  
Eugene chuckled. "Here. Turn around," he instructed, and she did so, letting his fingers deftly fasten the tiny clasp she'd been struggling with. As soon as that was done, she whirled around, gave him a quick peck on the lips, and then dashed out of the bedroom, leaving Eugene staring at where she'd stood with an affectionate, yet mildly dazed, expression.

Rapunzel hurried into Aisling's room, laughing as soon as she saw her daughter.  
"I was trying to dress myself," she explained, her hands awkwardly tied up in the ribbon that went around her waist.  
"Turn around, sweetie," she suppressed her giggles long enough to untangle her daughter. When she'd cinched the ribbon neatly around her waist, Rapunzel turned her around and hugged her. "You did an excellent job, sweetie, you just got a little tangled up in the ribbon. Those ribbons are tricky things, huh?"  
"Uh-huh!" she grinned sheepishly and added, "Can you braid my hair? I tried and I can't."  
"Most definitely. So, what are you hoping Saint Nicholas brought you?" Rapunzel asked as she ran a brush through her daughter's hair before braiding it loosely down the middle of her back. _She'd need her first haircut sometime, _Rapunzel realized.  
"Books!" she exclaimed. "And I hope Daddy will read them with me."  
"I'm sure he'd love to," Rapunzel smiled. She knew what storybooks they'd picked out for her, and couldn't wait to let her open them. "There you go, princess. You're _gorgeous, _darling."  
She grinned, clasping her hands and kissing her mother's cheek. "Thank you, momma."  
"But of course, dear. Now, do you want to help me pick out the twins' outfits for today?"  
She didn't answer; she simply raced out of her room and went crashing into the nursery.

After breakfast, the King and Queen hardly sat long enough to exchange gifts. Afterward, they rushed off to the meeting room, much to Rapunzel's disappointment. For the children, however, she tried to keep a happy facade and spent a good bit of time playing with Zachary and cuddling Johanna, watching Eugene read to Aisling.  
When Aisling finally settled for a nap, Rapunzel was bouncing a stuffed dog toy up and down, voicing 'woof' noises to make her son laugh and clap his chubby hands while simultaneously allowing Johanna fiddle with her necklace.  
"I know you're feeling down about something," Eugene sat down on the couch beside Rapunzel and picked up one of the stuffed animals scattered on the floor by the chair. "What's up?"  
She looked up at him and shrugged her shoulder, looking down and smiling at Johanna. "Nothing. Tell daddy he's silly!"  
"Hmm, maybe you should tell mommy _she's_ silly," Eugene reached to caress Jo's cheek and she smiled, grabbing his finger and waving it back and forth. "Your face says happy, your eyes say otherwise, honey."  
She nibbled her lip and glanced from Jo to Zack. "It's just that I was hoping my parents would spend the day with us, especially because it's their first Christmas and all..but they're busy running a kingdom, I guess. Family maybe falls to the wayside when you're doing that."  
He sighed and nodded. "I'm sorry. I'm sure if they could, they would spend all day with us." he slipped an arm around her shoulders and kissed her hair before bending to scoop Zack up with his free arm. "Maybe you could see what they're up to. You're the princess, so you've got a right to know."  
She nodded. "But what about curiosity killing the cat?"  
"You're not a cat. You're their gorgeous, inquisitive daughter," he teased, and she smiled, standing up to go do just that.

"_What_?" the blood left her face, and she held onto Johanna a little tighter. "We're...going to war?" she stood in front of her father's desk, struggling to keep her composure for the sake of her baby. She couldn't help but give in to the sensation that she was falling and nothing could help her.  
"Eire. We tried to make an agreement with our trade, and they wouldn't accept. So in the best interests of both of the countries, we decided to cut ties with them as far as trade goes. It saves money for the amount of items we barter - both ways. But the King and Queen don't understand this, and have waged war. We recently received the letter stating that troops will be coming to attack from Eire in a week. We're scrambling to get our own troops together, and-" her father bit his own sentence off abruptly.  
"-and they're weak, so this will hardly be a war," the Queen consoled Rapunzel. "Just a little upset. I'm sure it'll be resolved with barely any fatalities."  
"_Fatalities?_" Rapunzel gaped. "And what was the 'and' that you broke off, Father?"  
"Well..."  
"You needn't worry, sweetheart. Go enjoy your first Christmas with your twins," her mother gave a faux smile.  
"I have a right to know. I'm the princess," she stated, glancing down at Johanna and cuddling her a little closer.  
"We are unable to get in contact with the former captains of any of the wars previous," the King mumbled.  
"So..?"  
"The next in line to go into combat would be, well," he paused, rubbing his mouth, "we don't know if the captains are deceased. By law, the next in line to lead in combat would be the prince or prince consort. They would have the most knowledge of our kingdom and would be able to lead the troops safely through the war. This is usually deployed due to a lack of proper leader training amongst the rest of the troops or when the war is waged on the kingdom's own soil. They know the laws above anyone else."  
"No." Rapunzel shook her head. "If we're married, that can't happen. It can't. _You're the law. _Change it!"  
She stared her father down, and he looked down. "Both of the previous wars before this one, we've been a bind. This one is no different. We'll be making changes and ensuring that our best troops will have the proper knowledge and training to be the leader of future troops and wars. But this was on such short notice that..."  
"You can't," she shook her head. "Please, father, he _can't _go back into combat. It-he still has nightmares from the last time! Please, father...Eire may be weak, but they're vicious. He. Cannot. Go." Johanna whimpered and started crying, and Rapunzel gasped as if she had forgotten she was carrying the six month old baby.  
"Rapunzel, it's law and we cannot be properly prepared for an altercation by next week-"  
"I don't _care_!"  
"Rapunzel, these are the sacrifices you have to make in order to rule a kingdom. You sacrifice one life for the lives of many."  
"It holds absolutely no importance that he's the future _king _of this country? Don't you need to preserve your heirs at all costs? So they can _make sacrifices like ruining others' lives in order to rule a kingdom _when you're too old?"  
"Rapunzel!" her mother gasped, but she ignored her.  
"You simply cannot understand the importance of this-"  
"I do! But forgive me for being more worried about my own _husband's_ safety!" she glanced down at Johanna, who was wailing by now.  
"Don't you dare leave this room," the King warned her.  
"I have to take care of my daughter's wishes - unlike someone I know," she snapped, rushing from the room.


	44. Chapter 44: Bombshell (Pt 2)

Rapunzel didn't wait to tell Eugene what was going on. She was also furious at the fact that her parents didn't bother letting him know until the next day, which was only four days before he was to set out to the opposite side of the kingdom, where Eire troops would most likely arrive at.  
After she'd calmed herself enough to speak, she told him, pacing and clenching her fists and wanting to scream or throw something or run away with the kids and forget about being royalty altogether.  
Eugene was silent for the longest time, but then he stood and moved in her pathway, gripping her shoulders to make her stop pacing. "Hey. Settle down. It's law. It's not like it can be changed that quickly; and he's right; it's best to put someone like me in charge of the troops because I know our law better than someone who has no training. Plus, it wouldn't be fair to have someone who didn't know what he's doing trying to be the captain."  
"But you're the prince and you weren't supposed to go in any more-"  
"He didn't say anything about me not going into war. He said he'd avoid it if at all possible, but he didn't promise me I wouldn't have to go in again." Eugene took a shudder-y breath and licked his lips. "It'll be fine! I'm not even leaving the country, it sounds."

"But they're _vicious _and-and...and.."  
"And they're vicious, but they're not the best at strategies. C'mon, I'm an ex-thief. Who makes better strategies than that?" he teased, tipping her chin up so she had to look at him.

* * *

On the morning Eugene was supposed to leave, they were up at about three, even though they didn't need to leave until five-thirty. Rapunzel helped Eugene pack his old burlap bag, and they both worked silently. Rapunzel chewed her lip, furiously trying to keep it together. He wasn't letting on to his emotions, so why should she? Finally, though, Eugene pulled the burlap bag from Rapunzel's hands and set it aside, pulling her into a tight hug.  
"It's going to be okay, baby." he choked and buried his face in her hair.  
"No it's not. What if something happens? What if-"  
"Don't think about the what ifs. Think about what we'll do when I get home. What little games Aisling will show me. That kind of thing. Don't worry, okay?"  
"How can I _not_? The kids need you. I need you," she whispered.  
"I know," he hugged her a little tighter. She sobbed and her shoulders started to heave as she thought about the first time he'd gone off to war. "Hey...don't cry."  
"I'm...trying...to be strong, but-" she put her slim arms around him in a death-grip. "I'm sorry."  
"It's okay." he sighed. "It's okay. And I know I said goodbye to Aisling last night and told her that I was going to another country like you did awhile back, but if something happens, don't tell her the details. I don't want her exposed to the cruelties of life at the same age I was."  
Rapunzel's legs turned to liquid and she rummaged in her mind to find something to say. "What happened to not thinking of the what ifs?" she pulled away enough to look up at him.  
He chuckled quietly. "That's my girl. Now, help me get into my crummy suit?"  
She slipped out of his arms and nodded, sniffling. She followed him over to the armoire and pulled out the dusty thing, which was a dark purple and sporting the kingdom's crest. It was still crisp and sharp, surprisingly. She turned away as he dressed, but couldn't help but glance over her shoulder when he grunted and grumbled something under his breath.  
Giggling, she realized he was struggling to button his shirt. "Did you put on a little bit of weight since you last served?"  
He grinned sheepishly, still struggling against a couple of the buttons. "I must have."  
"Here," she pushed his fingers away and fought with the buttons, finally convincing them to fasten. Next, she straightened his collar and managed a nervous smile. "There you go. Handsome as ever."  
"Thanks," he cautiously loosed his breath and when no buttons popped, he wiggled his shoulders to explore how tight the shirt was going to be.  
"Can you breathe?"  
He grinned mischievously at her. "If you mean the shirt, yes - I can breathe. But you're so _breathtakingly _beautiful-"  
She gasped and swatted his arm, her face turning red as she couldn't help but let her lips curl into a smile. "You're awful. And how can you be so-so silly this early in the morning?" _Let alone what day it is..._  
"That's the thing, darling. I'm always this silly, day or night." he slipped his arms around her one more time for a moment before letting her go. "And you know how I get when I'm nervous, too."  
"I know," she nodded, a feeling of dread washing over her once more. "I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault Eire's so touchy," he kissed the top of her forehead. "I'll be home before you know it, sweetie. I love you."  
"I love you too," she nibbled her lip and took a deep breath, knowing he was about ready to leave. He was going in a carriage with the rest of the men from the town square.  
"Hey." he tipped her chin up so she would meet his eyes. "It'll be okay. I promise. I love you more than anything in the world, and the kids are everything to me. I'll be back. This time's a little scarier because I have a family to keep safe and come home to, but I'll be back. It won't be that long, I hope. And why are you still chewing a hole through your lip when I could be kissing you? It'd feel better, I guarantee it," he grinned teasingly.  
She had begun to cry when he started talking, but laughed when he mentioned kissing her.  
"I wouldn't h-have an aversion to it," she threw back, biting back the tears that trickled from her eyes. He swiped at her cheeks with his thumbs, brushing away her tears before pulling her into a gentle kiss. She considered the thought that this may be the last time she kissed her husband, and her raspy sob broke her lips away from his. "I-I'm..I'm sorry-"  
"It's okay," he rested his forehead up against hers and she drank in as much of his brown eyes as she possibly could. "You keep that chin up, okay, precious girl? I'll be home before you know it."  
"Okay. Stay safe, honey. I'm counting on you coming home. You don't have permission to-" she broke off, and he nodded.  
"I will." he nodded towards the door, slinging his burlap bag over his shoulder and gesturing for Rapunzel to follow him. She did so, and he went to peek in on Aisling, Jo, and Zack before heading off. Rapunzel leaned up against the doorframe for support and watched him stride towards the dirty-looking carriage - more like a cart, in all honesty - and waved when he turned to give her a sad smile. Some of the men that had served with him previously elbowed him and teased, and she heard him say - quite loudly - "Tease me all you want, but I waited two years for her. It's hard to leave." she pressed her fingers to her lips and shook her head when he caught her eye and winked before the cart jerked off bumpily. _He's a nervous wreck, _she thought as she rushed back to their bedroom before she could start crying.


	45. Chapter 45: Eavesdropper(Pt 3)

Two weeks into Eugene's deployment, Rapunzel requested Aisling to keep an eye on the twins while she discussed the war with her parents.  
"How are things going?" Rapunzel asked. "Have you heard any word back from Eugene?"  
"Yes, about three days ago. There should be another document coming any day now from him. The last letter said that our forces were holding back Eire's troops. As long as they don't get past a certain point, we'll be okay as a whole. There has, however, been five casualties already on our side. They're ruthless." the King sat back in his chair and stroked his beard. The Queen looked up from writing a letter.  
"But this is how the war will go until we reach an agreement with the King and Queen of Eire. They refuse to acknowledge pure fact," she said.  
Rapunzel nodded, biting her lip. "Is there anything I can do?"  
"Just pray that they'll come to their senses," she said, "and our country will be okay."  
Rapunzel bit the inside of her cheek _hard_, nodding once more to mask her distress. Five casualties in two weeks? It held no positive outlook.  
"What about our country, g'momma?" Aisling appeared at the door, sucking her lip curiously. Her mother's heart sank and her stomach twisted.  
"Oh, nothing, sweetheart!" the Queen smiled brightly.  
"Is there a war?" Aisling asked. "That's the only thing that hurts places. Or at least, the books daddy reads to me says so. When's daddy coming home?"  
"We...don't know, honey." Rapunzel smiled and knelt in front of her, taking her hands into hers. "I'm sure he'll be home soon!"  
"Okay. But _is _there a war?"  
_Darn curiosity, _Rapunzel thought. "Well...yes. Yes, but it's not anything to be scared about."  
"And why didn't daddy go with you or g'momma or g'papa to the country he's in? If somebody goes to another place, someone _always_ goes with them." she looked at Rapunzel curiously; her wide and innocent eyes watching her mother's.  
"You're very detail-oriented, aren't you, sweetie?" Rapunzel asked, clearing her throat. "You're my smart little girl! How were Jo and Zack?"  
"They're okay. Jo needs to eat, I told Emilie. But why, momma?"  
"He's serving," the King crouched beside Aisling and told her. "That means he's in the war. He's protecting us."  
Her eyes widened in horror and her eyes teared. "Daddy's-"  
"He'll be okay, honey. Don't cry-" Rapunzel broke off and pulled Aisling into a hug, collecting her in her arms. Standing up, she stared at her parents in disgust. "Eugene promised me not to tell her. Look what you've done now!"  
"Rapunzel, wait-" the King stood, but she was out the door before she could possibly hear him out.

Aisling buried her face in Rapunzel's shoulder and sobbed. "B-but...why didn't you tell me, mommy?"  
"Baby, your daddy didn't want you to be scared or worry. I didn't tell you because I wanted to honor his choice not to tell you." she sat in the sitting-room and let Aisling pull away. She wiped her cheeks, which just re-stained with tears anyway. "Don't cry, sweetie. He's going to be okay."  
She sniffled, her lip wobbling, and then she buried her face in Rapunzel's chest, crying more anyway. "I-I miss daddy! And he-he...he might not come back!"  
"He'll come back, baby girl," Rapunzel bit her lip and muffled her own sob. What was worse than missing Eugene? Having your five-year-old daughter scared to death that her daddy wasn't coming home. "He'll come back."  
Emilie bustled into the room, a baby in each arm, but froze when she saw Rapunzel holding a groveling Aisling.  
"Should I go?" she mouthed.  
Rapunzel shook her head, so she hurried in, sitting down carefully and releasing the twins onto the floor to let them crawl around.

Aisling cried herself to sleep, announcing her slumber with a shuddering sigh that was like twisting a knife into Rapunzel's heart. She carried her to bed, tucking her in and setting her favorite stuffed toy in the crook of her arm. When she came back into the sitting room, she swooped Johanna up into her arms and cuddled her close.  
"Want to talk about it?" Emilie asked, rubbing a rough hand through her messy hair.  
"Oh...Aisling just found out that Eugene's...well..you know."  
Emilie nodded and put a hand over her stomach, which was soon to be blossoming with her child's growth. She had recently learned she was with child; she and her husband of five months couldn't be happier. "Yeah," she said softly. "Is she okay?"  
"She will be," Rapunzel nodded. "I think it just shocked her more than anything else. She's too quick on the uptake with little changes."  
"That's because you and Eugene read so much to her," Emilie smiled. "Oh, I can't wait until this wretched war is over! I just want Roy home."  
Rapunzel smiled wryly. Emilie had good reason to be afraid; her father had died in the last war. "Me neither. How are you doing? You know, with the baby on the way."  
"Oh," she sighed. "Morning sickness is a pain, especially with my chores, but...it'll be worth it!"  
Rapunzel grinned when Johanna, who had been watching the conversation intently, buried her face in Rapunzel's shoulder and sighed contentedly, sticking her fist into her mouth and watching Emilie with studious, but sleepy, eyes. "It will be. If there's anything I can help you with, be it chores here or anything else, please let me know. I'd be happy to help."  
"Oh," Emilie tsked her tongue. "No, princess. I'm paid to do that!" she reached down to scoop Zachary up, tickling him until a series of giggles escaped his grinning mouth.  
Rapunzel watched them for a moment, but then she realized how she'd treated her parents. She gasped. "I'm a horrible daughter," she mumbled, her eyes widening.  
"What?"  
"I'm a horrible daughter! Oh - _ohh_ \- I said something that Gothel...Gothel would've said and I was so mean to my father because he told Aisling that Eugene was in the war, and-oh, I'm _dreadful_!" She put a hand over her mouth, frightening Johanna slightly.  
"Oh, it's fine, Rapunzel; I'm sure it's fine! Don't fret!" Emilie watched as her friend jumped out of her chair.  
"No, I have to apologize!" she exclaimed, holding Jo in one arm and hiking her skirts up with the other. She rushed barefoot to her father's office and then paused in front of the door. Suddenly, she felt nervous. Biting her lip, she pushed the door open. "Mother? Father?"

The King looked up from his papers and then glanced at the guard that stood inside, nodding to let him know he could leave. When he did so, Rapunzel stepped awkwardly inside.  
"Rapunzel, I'm sorry. I didn't think she would react so strongly."  
"No, I'm sorry, father. And you too, mother. _I _should not have reacted so strongly. I guess I'm just really trying to honor his choices, in case...you know...and yes. She's too smart," Rapunzel sighed tiredly. "I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have mouthed off like that."  
"It's alright, darling," he stood up and strode over, giving her a one-armed hug. The Queen patted her shoulder and handed her an envelope.  
"This came for you. I didn't look at it," she winked and glanced at her granddaughter. "You need to get that sleepy little girl off to bed."  
"Thank you," Rapunzel nodded and took the envelope. "Is she finally asleep?"  
"Mmhmm. What about Zack?" she asked quietly.  
She bit back a laugh. "Him? Tired? Never."  
"He has your energy," the King smiled.  
"And his daddy's mischievous personality," she nibbled her lip and then turned towards the door. "I suppose I had better get this little treasure off to bed and see what he's up to. Thank you for understanding."  
"Of course," he nodded and kissed her cheek before letting her go out of the office.

After she settled Johanna in her cradle, she hurried out to the sitting-room, where Zachary was busily assembling and disassembling stacks of wooden blocks.  
"Thank you, Emilie," Rapunzel said, "for watching the little stinker."  
"Feel better now?" "Yes," Rapunzel nodded, smiling sheepishly.  
"If I daresay, princess, you've got mood swings even when you're not pregnant!" Emilie giggled, blushing at her bold statement.  
"Oh, I know," she grinned. "I just react with utmost fervor at any moment!"  
Emilie shook her head, smiling teasingly before standing up and leaving the room.

Rapunzel watched Zachary for a moment before curiosity got the better of her and she opened up the envelope her parents had given her.  
_Eugene! _She smiled, holding the letter to her chest with excitement before reading it. He was well; he couldn't wait to get home, and he was asking about his darling children - and 'the most amazing girl in the world', all of whom he missed sorely. She bit her lip and set the paper aside, purely happy that she'd heard from him already. She felt a tug at her skirt, and opened her eyes to see her son peering up at her with a goofy smile much like Eugene's. He babbled up at her and then sat, holding his hands up to her and wiggling his fingers. "Well, how can I resist a face like that, sweetie?" she teased, scooping him up and cuddling him close for a few moments - as long as he'd let her hold him, rather. There were _far _too many interesting things to be done than being held!


	46. Chapter 46:Pascal, Bombs, and Paint(pt4)

The day was off to a terrible start when Rapunzel woke up to a very deceased old chameleon on the pillow beside her head, staring at her with lifeless eyes.

Rapunzel loosed a bloodcurdling shriek, scrambling away from the stiff creature. Getting herself tangled up into her blankets, she fell on her bottom on the floor. Two guards raced into her room, swords ready.  
"What happened, princess?" Conli asked.  
Breathing heavily and her face flaming with embarrassment, she untangled herself and stood. "Uh...n-n-nothing. I apologize. I just...Pascal's..." she trailed off and examined his body. "Oh...Pascal..." she picked the entire pillow up and stared at him, her eyes filling with tears. Her best pal was gone. Yes, he'd lived an extraordinarily long life for a chameleon, at nearly twelve years, but it still stung.  
"Do you want us to dispose of him?" Conli asked, sheathing his sword.  
Rapunzel started to shake her head, but then she realized: it was the middle of February; there was no way that she could dig a proper grave for him. He'd be thrown outside or burned, and while it made her sick just thinking of it, there wasn't necessarily anything she could do. "Yes, please," she said softly, moving to hand the pillow and deceased creature to the other guard, who curled his lip at the task.  
"It'll be alright. Maybe you can get another one," Conli cleared his throat, apparently distressed at Rapunzel's saddened expression, but unsure how to help her.  
She pulled a smile onto her face and nodded. "Maybe. Thank you."

Next, she managed to get the kids up and fed, trying to keep Aisling from discovering the fact that their pet was no longer around. Insisting on spending the day painting, Rapunzel carted the twins into her painting-room, set Aisling up with her smaller easel, brushes, paints, and smock, and then getting to work at her own easel, keeping track of the twins out of the corner of her eye. Zack played dutifully with his wooden blocks - _I wonder if he'll take after his father with woodworking, _she wondered - but Jo was fussy and demanded to be held. So Rapunzel scooped her up into her lap, letting her watch with wide eyes as her mother painted a blank canvas with long, swooping motions, curving a streak of green into a chameleon. Somehow, Johanna managed to snag one of Rapunzel's dirtied brushes, and lunged for the canvas, leaving a sudden streak of brownish gray across it.  
Gasping, Rapunzel snatched the brush from Jo, hoping she hadn't eaten any of the paint, and that only served to make the tiny child cry.  
"Oh, darling, I'm sorry - but you can't play with those, you might get sick!" she sighed, setting her palate and brushes aside, rubbing the baby's back and cuddling her close until she calmed down. "You can play with this if you want, honey. Look!" she got up and found a new brush, showing it to Jo. The baby giggled and grabbed it with both hands, studying it with her wide brown eyes.  
"Momma! Lookit, lookit," Aisling hurried towards her, holding a wet canvas out.  
"What did you make?" Rapunzel asked. "Let's see."  
Zack came crawling over quickly, stopping to look up at his older sister curiously.  
The painting was of the whole family - including the King and Queen. It was drawn in a very childlike manner - Aisling wasn't even six years old yet - but it was still done very nicely. "I drew us!"  
"Wow, sweetheart! You're an excellent artist! We'll have to hang this up and show it to daddy when he comes home. Sound good?"  
Aisling beamed, and Rapunzel managed to throw in a kiss on the top of her head before she tore off, finding canvas for a second drawing.

The first time Rapunzel saw the King and Queen was when they came into the painting room; papers in the Queen's hand.  
Rapunzel slipped out of the room for a minute. "What?"  
"We just got another letter from Eugene, and we got another letter from Eire. They're considering drawing their troops back, but Eugene says that we've had thirteen casualties already - in two months' time. He's been making up strategies on random to keep them guessing, but apparently, they've got their hands on some equipment and are making homemade bombs."  
Rapunzel swallowed a gasp, her stomach twisting. "O-okay. Any other news?"  
"He's training one of the more-trusted soldiers to become the next captain; on-the-job training, as he calls it. So he shouldn't need to go into any more wars after this - obviously, that's a variable we can't measure, though."  
Rapunzel nodded. "Okay."  
He was smart. He'd be able to come home soon. The troops would retreat from this stupid, useless war, and they'd be okay. She beat those three sentences into her head as she turned to go back into the painting-room when she heard a clatter.


	47. Chapter 47: Never Surrender(pt5)

**A/N: Thanks so much, once more, for all the reviews, follows, and favorites! You guys rock!  
Title inspired by Skillet's song "Never Surrender". Obviously, I don't own Tangled or Skillet.  
**

* * *

"Get him in! Get him inside!" male voices yelled. "Get him to the doctor's quarters! Where's the old rascal, anyway?"  
Rapunzel shot upright. It was midday in the beginning of March. The Eire troops had yet to leave, but the injured men had been making their way home. Was one so desperately wounded that they brought him here? _Thank goodness Aisling's napping_, Rapunzel thought as she set her book down, rushing to see what was going on. A few maids screamed, and Emilie appeared out of nowhere, snatching Rapunzel's arm.  
"You go - I'll watch the children. Oh my goodness gracious," she cupped her hand over her mouth and went pale.  
"What's going-" Rapunzel broke off when she saw her own husband being carried into the castle by four men, one being Emilie's husband, who seemed to have a limp. A gasp cut through her, but she saw with relief that he was conscious. Blood had stained some tourniquets on one leg and his face was cut up. His jaw was visibly clenched with pain, and his hands were white-knuckled fists. She followed quickly after the men, hiking her skirts up past her knees so she could keep up. They set her husband on the crummy bed in the doctor's quarters.  
"The doc's gone! Where is he?" Roy, Emilie's husband, whirled around to ask her.  
"He-he...he, ah, he's off today. His daughter is due to have a baby, and he was to stay home to help deliver it," she clasped her shaking hands behind her back to hide them. "B-but..but I can..I can help, maybe. I've been reading the medical books in th-the library."

"You're a girl," one man stated. "You're not knowledgeable enough."  
"Leave-her be..." Eugene managed to speak up, but broke off shakily as he sucked in a sharp breath and let his hand over over a wound.  
"It's better than letting my own husband bleed to death! What happened?" Rapunzel shoved past the men rudely, reaching to brush his hair from his face. "Oh, honey..what happened?"  
"Bomb," Roy said. "You men clear out. I'll help her."  
The men did so, and Rapunzel regretfully left her husband's side to gather tools. "Get a maid to bring me some hot water, please? Some whiskey, turpentine, rags...oh...tweezers...um...bandages!"  
"Leather strap," Roy said. "Scissors, too. You'll have to cut the fabric away from his leg, you can't pull them off or it'll be sheer agony."  
"Okay," Rapunzel bit the inside of her cheek until it bled, making herself focus instead of panicking. "Why the _heck_ didn't they take care of this at the camp?" she glanced back at Eugene, who was lying on his back, breathing so heavily she could see his nostrils flaring.

Roy dumped an armload of equipment and bottles onto a table beside the bed Eugene was in. "They blew the bloody thing to shreds. That's how he got hurt."  
She bit her lip again, wondering how many people had died. "Okay. Whew...okay. We can do this. Right, Eugene? We'll get you fixed up in no time."  
He gulped. "I-I'm sorry you...h-have to-"  
"Drink this," she watched as Roy measured out an appropriate amount of whiskey. "I know you don't like to drink alcohol since you got drunk as a teen, but this will help you." she propped his head up and held the cup to his lips, since his hands were shaking too badly. Once he'd downed the awful-smelling liquid which would act as a disinfectant, Roy gave him the thick leather strap, which he bit down on.  
"Cut the fabric away and then get in there to dig the bits of shrapnel out. Or do you want me to do it?" Roy asked.  
"We'll both work, if you'd please. We need to get this bleeding stopped _now._" she hacked the fabric away from the wound, trying not to listen to her husband's quiet groans as she peeled it away from the nasty wounds. The pair worked fast; Roy double-checked and ensured that every single shred of metal had been extracted from his leg and didn't even seem to hear the man's howls of pain. Next, Rapunzel rubbed the area around the wound clean with hot water. She bit back her squeamishness as she rubbed turpentine into the gashes. "I'm sorry, honey. It'll burn, I know." She applied whiskey around and on the wound as well, upon Roy's directions. Next, they both worked to stitch the gashes together. After what seemed to be an eternity full of groans and cries that hardly seemed human, Eugene's deepest wounds were tended to and bandaged.

"Thank you, Roy. Do you need that leg tended to? I noticed you were limping," Rapunzel didn't look up as she scrubbed at the tools they'd used.  
"I'm good. This happened about a month ago, when our makeshift hospital was still standing," Roy joked weakly. "You gonna be okay? I'd kinda like to see my girl."  
"Thanks once again - I can finish cleaning up. Emilie will be _ecstatic _to see you," she smiled, shaking the metal tools off and setting them on a towel to dry. Once he had left the room, Rapunzel gathered a wet rag and went over to Eugene's bed. "Hey," she smiled shakily as she gently cleaned the blood and sweat from his face.  
"Hey yourself," he gulped and tried to calm his breathing. "I didn't...know you had medical k-knowledge."  
"I don't. I just read too much," she said quietly. "How are you feeling?"  
"Thankful to be alive," he said grimly. "It was..it was bad. Really bad. All our patients-" he broke off and squeezed his eyes shut.  
"It's okay," she ran her hand through his hair. "How are your wounds feeling?"  
"I think the whiskey's starting to numb the stitches a bit. It feels better to have all the metal, you know...taken out."  
She nodded. "Okay." She turned away from him to swish her rag clean and wipe her hands on her skirt.  
"Thank you. I'm sorry...you had to patch me up," he watched her back.  
"It was mostly Roy," she said, pulling a chair over to his bed and perching beside him. "Will you have to go back after this?"  
"I don't know," he shook his head, a look of pure fear clouding his face. "I hope I don't. I trained Joe Casey to be the captain and he was all but ready, but..." he shook his head.  
"It'll be up to my dad. Right?"  
"Basically," he coughed and rubbed his eyes. "Where are the kids?"  
"With Emilie, napping. I know you probably want to see them, but I want you to take a nap first. Then we'll get you eating and you can see them. The twins have really grown," she said.  
"I bet," he sighed. "Do I have to sleep?"  
She laughed quietly. "You sound like Aisling. Yes, honey, you need to rest. That was traumatic, and you don't want to get too exhausted. I'll be in to check up on you sometime."  
He nodded. "I just...I don't want to sleep because..."  
"I know," she nodded. "But you have to get better, and rest will help get you better quicker. I know you know that, too. I'm sorry, honey," she nibbled her lip and reached to stroke his hair again.  
"Yeah," he sighed and shut his eyes. "You have a point. As always. I love you,"  
"I love you too, buddy." she carefully placed her lips on a part of his forehead that wasn't cut up, and then left the room.

Her next stop was her father's office. "Eugene's home. He's hurt. The...their makeshift hospital was blown up, and he..he got some shrapnel in his leg," she felt the adrenaline leave her body and practically collapsed into the nearest chair.  
He stood abruptly. "I need to-"  
"Oh no, you're not. He needs to rest. Whatever business you have with him can wait, okay? Please?" she asked.  
He nodded. "But who's in control of the entire troop?"  
"Joe Casey, if he's still alive. He's the one Eugene was training. He said he was all but ready."  
"Okay. I suppose the troops will be alright until he can return."  
Rapunzel stood up again. "Please, father...he's gone through so much. The war's supposed to be winding down. Didn't you send Eire your response to their compromise paper or whatever it was? He doesn't need to go back. Please," she looked up at him pleadingly. She was _not _about to let him throw her husband back into the war when it wasn't absolutely necessary.  
He sat down and stroked his beard. "We'll see."  
She nodded quietly. "I understand, but I also understand how hurt he is _mentally_," she said as she left the room, leaving her father to chew on that one.

* * *

Three hours later, Rapunzel and her parents brought the three children to see Eugene.  
"I asked Imelda to bring you some dinner," she told him. "And we've got some visitors for you." She hardly got it out before Aisling pushed past her, running and jumping up onto the bed, hugging Eugene around his neck.  
"Daddy! Daddy, I missed you so, so, so, _so_ much!" she exclaimed. He masked his grunt of either pain or surprise, and then wrapped his arms around the little girl. Biting his lip, he managed to sit up, but Rapunzel saw how much effort it took him.  
"I missed you too, baby girl...oh, it's so good to see you." he kissed her forehead and both of her cheeks, and she grinned at him.  
"I lost another tooth yesterday! And I made a drawing, but it's in the painting-room. Can we go see it now?"  
"Not right now, sweetie. Daddy hurt his leg so he has to stay in bed for a day or two. I can't wait to see it, though! I bet it's a masterpiece."  
The smile that had previously faded at the mention of his injury blossomed again. "It _is_!"  
He grinned and pulled her into another hug before letting go of her, letting her scramble off of the bed to help get Jo and Zack to him.  
Johanna started screaming and crying the second Aisling placed her in Eugene's arms. Zack whimpered uncertainly, too.  
"They don't recognize me," Eugene gave a strained smile, clearly disappointed at this.  
"It's only been a few months," Rapunzel bit her lip. "They shouldn't..."  
"They more than likely have, though," the Queen said.  
"Hey..it's okay, guys. It's daddy! It's okay. Shh," she leaned over to stroke their sparse hair, soothing them until they quieted. "See? It's daddy."  
He released a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding and looked back down at his twins. Johanna had grown quite a bit, but she was still petite compared to Zachary. "They've grown so much," he murmured. "Hey, little ones...goodness. How's our little Jo? And our devilishly cute Zack?" he grinned down at them, and his son waved a hand, trying to grab his nose, matching his father's crooked grin.  
_Overload of adorable, _Rapunzel thought, nibbling her lip to keep from beaming. Aisling settled for Rapunzel's lap, watching the babies as Jo started a stream of quiet babble.

* * *

Rapunzel woke abruptly to loud cries echoing down the hall. She'd left her bedroom door open just for this purpose.  
Slipping her light robe on, she fairly ran to the doctor's quarters.  
Eugene was on his uninjured side, curled in the fetal position and gasping, crying out, and clawing desperately at his blankets and pillow.  
"Eugene. Hey. Wake up, Eugene!" she shook his shoulder harshly until he jerked awake, shaking all over. "It's okay. It's okay, honey. You're home, you're safe."  
He rolled over onto his back, chest heaving as he stared up at Rapunzel for a moment. "Did I wake you up?"  
"I was listening for you," she smoothed the hair away from his eyes. "You okay?"  
"Yeah," he sighed, gulping and holding his breath for a few moments to try to calm himself.  
"Do you want to talk over it or something? If not, I guess I'll let you rest."  
He shook his head. "It's just the same old, stupid nightmares."  
"Okay. If you're sure," she patted his shoulder and turned to go, but then he snagged her wrist.  
"Wait. Could you...no, never mind."  
"What?" she asked, turning back around to look at him.  
"I'm just being childish, but.." he hesitated. "I just can't stand to be alone."  
Rapunzel perched carefully on the edge of the bed, smoothing her hand through his hair until it was smooth and untangled. "I don't mind, sweetie. And it's not childish, either. You've been through so much."  
He swallowed. "I just can't stand this. The bomb...what happened today..it's just combining with memories from Al'vae and-I hate it. It's like this darkness is just filling my entire mind and consuming me and I can't think of anything else and..." he sighed, frustrated, and lifted his head up enough to slam it down on his pillow in frustration, since he couldn't get up and pace.  
It scared Rapunzel. She'd never seen him so upset over his nightmares. Scared, yes, but not _frustrated _or mad, even. "Hey. It'll be okay, I promise. You'll beat it. You have before!"  
"But there weren't men getting blown to bits. When you feel some of your men, the ones you were supposed to lead safely into battle, rain down on you in shreds...when-when they're dying slow deaths instead of being picked off by muskets and efficient slices..." he trailed off, his face growing pale in the flickering glow of the fireplace. "I thought Al'vae was bad."  
"But you _tried_, Eugene. You did the best you could, I know you did. There's nothing else you could've done."  
He sat up abruptly, ignoring the shooting pain in his injured leg when he moved it. "What if I didn't, Rapunzel? What. If. I. Didn't? What if there was some other way, some...some way to get everyone home safe to their families?" his voice grew louder as he spoke, and he buried his face in his arms as he used his fists to tug his own hair.  
Rapunzel set a shaking hand on his shoulder. "I know you did the best you could. In war, there's no real winners or losers, not for the ones in the battle. How could you know exactly when Eire planned to set off bombs or ambushes or something? You couldn't, and they were erratic and didn't show any patterns. That's what you told us."

He shook his head. "Sebastian...he was in this stupid war, too. I called him and several others to lead in a raid of the other side's supplies, to take and dispose of them so they didn't have as much in their armory. They had rigged little bombs under the ground in a certain spot in the doorway, which only their soldiers knew about, I guess...and he stepped on it, triggering it. He got blown all over the walls. It was my call. My fault. All of it was my fault."  
Rapunzel bit back her gasp. Sebastian, of course, had been in the Al'vae war and was a family friend of sorts. "You didn't know. How _could_ you know-"  
"It was supposed to be _me _leading that group. I didn't because I needed to coordinate another group for something else. I should've gotten it. Maybe it would have been best if-"  
"No." Rapunzel broke him off, taking his face in her hands and forcing him to look at her. "Don't you _dare _say that. Don't go down the path I think you're heading for. Eugene, you couldn't -you didn't know! How could you know they had the doors rigged _underground_? I know it's hard, and it's _awful _that it happened - it's awful that this entire war happened, but you can't beat yourself up over it! You didn't take those lives. It was Eire. You had no way of knowing-"  
"But I _should have_-"  
"Don't break me off, Eugene. You had absolutely no way of knowing what they were going to do. You're not at fault. The captain of the guards even says that you're the smartest captain of the troops we could possibly have. Yes, you lost lives, but out of _five hundred men_, twenty casualties or so is no comparison. You kept all of the other safe. You can't protect all of them, Eugene. It's physically impossible in a war setting. People _will _lose lives. It's just how it _is_, as horrible as it is. As long as the enemy has weapons, people will get hurt, and people will die. You protected not only the majority of your five hundred men, but you also protected the _entire country_ from ruin and death! You protected your family, Sebastian's family, Roy and his family, Anderson's family, the orphans at the orphanage, the pub thugs, Imelda's family-"  
"I get it, Rapunzel," he sighed meekly, slumping in over himself. "I get it."  
She finally let his previous words sink in the entire way, her eyes filling with tears as she grabbed him into a fierce hug. "Don't you _dare _say it would've been best if you would have been killed. Don't you dare. It'll get better."

Eugene calmed himself to the point of logical thought. She was right. Of _course _she was. He'd been flat-out foolish to even consider the things Rapunzel didn't know he'd been considering shortly after Sebastian's death. And when she'd put it into perspective, he knew she was right. Struggling to shove away the memories cracking his skull, he hugged her tight. "I'm sorry-"  
She pulled away, sniffling and wiping her cheeks. "It's okay, honey. I get it...I understand..but promise you'll stop thinking that way. Please,"  
He realized how much he'd frightened her. "I will. I promise. I'm sorry if I scared you, honey. You've been through enough yourself, you shouldn't have to deal with my issues too."  
"I want to, though. That's what I'm here for, isn't it?" she asked, studying his face. He pulled her into another bear-hug of sorts and neither of them moved a muscle for several minutes.  
"Thank you," he said when he finally pulled away. "I owe you. There you go, saving my life all over again," he teased weakly.  
She shook her head. "I love you,"  
He eased himself onto his back, gritting his teeth against the pain in his leg. When she curled up beside him, he pulled her as close to him as he could before saying he loved her in return.


	48. Chapter 48: Will You Be There? (pt 6)

**Title inspired by lyrics in "Wolf Bite" by Owl City. I don't own Owl City or Tangled, obviously.  
**

* * *

Rapunzel woke up long before Eugene, and got to work getting the children up and ready for the day. It was a big day for Aisling: since she was almost six years old, the tutors would officially take her on and start teaching her princess-things. They would have her in classes nearly all day long, despite her young age. She was beyond excited, but Rapunzel was nervous. She didn't know how her energetic, smart young girl would handle being told what to study, let alone having to sit and patiently listen to the boring tutors. She knew she'd be stalking the study room quite a bit today.

When the babies were up, fed, and already taking their first nap of the day at around eight o'clock, Rapunzel slipped into the doctor's quarters and found Eugene was up. He had a fresh pair of pants on - ones that hadn't been torn and cut up - and had apparently bathed, since the washtub was in the middle of the floor and the water inside was grimy and a mix of red and brown.  
"...use this cane to walk around with. I don't want ya losing strength in yer legs by laying around until they get healed up. It'll hurt like the dickens, but ye're a soldier, ya can handle it-ah, and yer girl's here. Good."  
Rapunzel waved awkwardly at the doctor's acknowledgement, striding over to be included in the conversation. "As you were saying?"  
"He's gotta keep moving that leg. Between ya and Roy, ya did a pretty good job takin' care of 'im yesterday. No infection yet, nothin' nasty. I'll change his dressing daily, but the stitches'll stay in fer a few days. And if he doesn't use that cane, ya gotta beat him over the head with it, alright?"  
Rapunzel laughed, relieved to hear he was okay so far. "Okay."  
"Don't encourage her," Eugene piped up, and she gave him a teasing grin.  
"Now, I'll be off to eat somethin' 'fore I go run my next errands." "Okay. Thank you," Rapunzel and Eugene both told him, and her husband chuckled quietly.  
"How did everything go with your daughter yesterday?" Rapunzel asked.  
"Oh, excellent. Darlin' had a wee boy," he smiled and bustled from the room, large leather bag in hand.

Rapunzel immediately turned to Eugene. "How are you feeling this morning?"  
He wavered his hand back and forth in the air. "I'm rested up, but my leg's throbbing."  
"And mentally?"  
His smile wavered. "Don't worry, honey. I'm okay."  
She slipped her arms around him. "You better be. I won't allow you to not be okay - just so you know."  
He laughed through his nose. "Will you hit me with a frying pan if I'm not?"  
"Cognitive recalibration," Rapunzel teased.  
He chuckled. "Okay. Maybe you have been reading too much," he teased, resting his forehead on hers and putting his arms around her in return.  
"Yeah, yeah. Says the guy who says there is no much thing as reading too much. I'm happy to see you in a good mood, by the way," she added.  
"It's good to be home," he said. He tightened his arms around her a tiny bit more and she impulsively reached up to catch him in a kiss. He was obviously pleased, because she felt him smile against her lips when he rearranged his arms so one arm could still be around her while he used the other hand to tilt her head, kissing her back with both fervor and gentleness. When they came up for air, her face was bright pink.  
"Love you," he added, just to see her face redden that much more. After six years, she still got flustered every once in awhile when he mentioned his affection for her.  
"Love you too," she grinned and then slipped away. "Let's head down to the dining hall. I tried to convince the chef to keep your food warm, but you know how he is, so - so, um.." she trailed off, distracted by the adoring gaze he wasn't trying to hide. "...Um, I made sure to keep it as warm as I could. No guarantees, though - I was busy with the kiddos. Welcome home."  
He nodded, reaching for the cane the doctor had given him and then following Rapunzel out, keeping a gasp of pain to himself as he took a few steps on his injured leg.

Eugene spent the majority of the day reading or playing with the babies; Rapunzel flitted between official business with her parents to checking on Aisling obsessively, to finally playing with Jo and Zack and/or spending time with Eugene. It was midday before Eugene realized someone was missing.  
"Where's Pascal?" he'd asked.  
Rapunzel froze, immediately reaching up to tug at a lock of hair. "He, um...passed away. He was twelve, so I guess-he was really old." she nibbled her lip. "When?" Eugene asked, shocked. He might've found the reptile annoying, but he'd never imagined life without him. Rapunzel and Pascal went together like...sweet strawberry jam and fresh-baked rolls!  
"February," Rapunzel nodded, licking her lips and sucking her top one inside her mouth to nibble "About a month or so ago."  
"I'm sorry, honey," he was still pretty surprised, and knew that wasn't a very comforting thing, but that was the first thing that came to mind. "I'll miss the bugger."  
She laughed to mask the tears filming her eyes. "After all the grief you gave him..."  
"Hey, it's not like I didn't like him. I just didn't like his methods of distraction or his wake-up-alarm setting," he explained teasingly, but he plopped onto the couch and set aside his cane. "C'mere."  
She welcomed the offer, slipping into his arms to watch Zack play with his favorite wooden blocks, hoping to distract herself before she started to cry or something.

When Aisling finally was released from schooling at around suppertime, Rapunzel immediately started interrogating her.  
"How was your first day with your tutors, darling? Are they fair? You're not bored in your sessions, are you? How was it?"  
"Mommy," Aisling giggled. "I'm fine! It was so much fun! I can't wait for tomorrow. Do I get to learn more tomorrow?" she raced to give Eugene a hug as she spoke.  
Rapunzel laughed, feeling absolutely silly for worrying so much about her. Of _course_ she'd enjoyed learning. "Okay. But if you ever have any trouble with anything, don't be afraid to let us know, okay?"  
"Okay, mommy," Aisling grinned, reaching to hug her and then racing over to see her younger siblings.  
"And you were worried," Eugene teased.  
"Hey! A mother's allowed to...obsessively worry about her daughter's first day of tutoring."  
He chuckled. "I know."

When it was finally time to sleep, Eugene was harder to get to bed than Aisling was, but understandably so.  
"I don't see why I can't just stay up 'til I crash. I did just fine over there."  
"But you need to sleep, or you'll get over-tired and you won't be able to heal up as well. So..." she nodded towards their bed.  
He tilted his chin up slightly. "Why don't you go to bed? I'll read for awhile, and then I'll come to bed when I'm really tired."  
"You have rings under your eyes, Eugene. You're good and tired as it is," she sighed in frustration.  
"Rings under my eyes and awful stuff in my mind. Splendid. So you're saying that this destroys my charm and good-looks?"  
She tsked her tongue, letting her hands pounce on her hips. "Don't change the subject. I'm not saying either of those things."  
He sighed. "You got me. As always. I just really don't want to try and sleep right now. You know...right?"  
"Yeah," she nodded. "I'm sorry. What if we play a game?"  
"What?" he furrowed his brows, completely confused.  
"Yeah. I think it should be called 'Did you know'. We'll exchange news, stuff we may have missed as of late, until we bore ourselves to sleep. Sound good?"  
He laughed quietly; self-deprecatingly. "That won't help the nightmares."  
"But it'll get you to sleep, at least." She flopped into bed and patted the spot beside her. "I'll start. Did you know that Emilie and Roy are expecting their first baby?"  
He nodded. "Yeah. Roy told me. I'm really happy for them."  
She nodded as well. "Me too. Emilie's really excited! Let's see..your turn."  
He rolled his eyes, but went along. "Did you know that the other side of the country is really pretty, aside from, you know..Eire's soldiers dotting the landscape?"  
She shook her head. "We'll have to take a day trip sometime. Eventually," she added. "Did you know that Zack is probably going to be interested in and adept with wood, like you?"  
He smiled this time. "I was wondering that today. I'll have to teach him."  
"Mhm!"  
"Did you know..."  
They went back and forth, finding less-interesting things to bring up until Eugene finally fell asleep, letting his head fall abruptly onto the pillow. Rapunzel smiled, laughing through her nose as she considered a victorious fist-pump before burrowing under her blankets. She didn't mind staying up late talking to him, as long as it helped him get to sleep.


	49. Chapter 49: New Dreams

Two weeks after Eugene's return home, Eugene was on the mend and walking with just a limp at this point. However, his nightmares and post-traumatic stress remained.

Rapunzel was in Aisling's bedroom, reading her a story before bed when Eugene burst in, limping as fast as he could. Her fingers flew to her lips, warning him to be quiet because Aisling had just fallen asleep. He stood, jittery, until Rapunzel quietly tucked the almost-six-year-old into bed and set her favorite stuffed animal beside her. When she blew the candle out and headed for the door, he grabbed her arm and pulled her outside of the room, shutting the door quietly behind him.  
"What's so-" Rapunzel broke off, laughing as he towed her away from the door.  
"Are the babies asleep?"  
"Yeah," Rapunzel looked at him curiously. What was he up to?  
"Good. Then you can listen to _this._" he took a deep breath. "I don't have to go back to war because the war's over. Eire-"  
Rapunzel gasped, grabbing his shirt collar and pulling him down to her level so she could give him an excited kiss. His laugh broke it off after a few seconds, though, and she settled for beaming at him.  
"As I was saying," he teased, "Eire accepted your parents' compromise with trade. And...drumroll, please...They're planning on announcing our coronation as official Prince Consort and Queen of Corona, on January first of next year."  
Rapunzel gasped again, but this was out of surprise and mild terror. "Oh...wow."  
"I know. They want to talk about it more tomorrow, with both of us present."  
Rapunzel nodded, but was mostly quiet as they went to their room and got ready for bed.

"What's wrong?" Eugene finally asked, coming over to put his hands on her shoulders as she brushed her hair.  
"Oh...it's just a lot to take in," Rapunzel shrugged, turning around to slip around him. He caught her in his arms, though, and held her close.  
"You're nervous, right?" he asked, settling his chin on top of her head for a moment before meeting her eyes.  
"Terrified," she sighed. "It's...just me thinking too much, though."  
"Well...tell me what's going on in that mind of yours. It'll help," he told her before leading her to the edge of the bed. Patting the spot beside him, he watched her until she finally sat.  
"I'm just scared. What if we mess up? I haven't been a princess, really, for that long. It'll be eight years this June! Eight out of my twenty-six. And the kids...I mean, my parents hardly are around anymore and they're so busy, and I don't want that for the kids! And...you _know _that's how it would go. I want to be there for them, to be around them all the time. I don't know about you, but I'm...I'm not ready to be queen," she stared at her fingers, which were tangled up in her lap.  
He nodded, reaching to put a hand over her own hands. "It'll be okay. You're a smart young lady, and the country will be just fine in your hands. And I promise you we'll make sure to spend plenty of time with our tiny little brood, because I want that too." he smiled briefly and then kissed her cheek. "If it helps, I'm worried too. But I'm sure we'll do fine. We'll take a lot of notes from your parents. How's that sound?"  
She nodded. "I hope so. And who's to say I didn't want a big family? Being the Queen would put a hamper on that. I guess we _will _have my parents to fall back on, which is a plus, but it all seems so...so scary. I know it's probably really silly of me, but...it does."  
He gave her a mildly surprised smile. "It's not silly at all. And what's this about wanting a big family?"  
Rapunzel sucked in a breath, biting her lip as she realized she'd let that slip. She wanted a big family, and she knew she wanted this because of her time in the tower. "Um...that is..I never brought it up because I thought maybe you wouldn't be too keen on it. I..." she trailed off and shrugged her shoulders up to her ears, embarrassed.

He grinned and stroked her cheek with his thumb. "You don't have to blush," he grinned. "To be honest, I've been thinking about that lately too. Since I grew up in the orphanage for most of my childhood, I'm used to lots of kids being around, and...I don't know. It'd be cool to have a large family. Someday, anyway. Once we're settled into our new roles."  
She nodded, loosing a relieved breath. "Okay. And while we're at it? What will happen with our volunteering at the orphanage? I really don't want to stop going."  
"We still will on occasion. But our own kids and the kingdom will be our first priorities, of course."  
"Yeah," she nodded. "Obviously."

* * *

The next morning, Eugene woke up at five, deciding to watch his sleeping wife for a few minutes before waking her. They'd finally crashed at around midnight, too exhausted to stay awake one more minute after talking about family and the kingdom for at least two hours. He'd had a dreamless night, which was far better than having nightmares. Rapunzel, on the other hand, had tossed and turned, mumbling in her sleep. As he watched her, her sleeping face scrunched up and she muttered his name in her sleep. She reached out and when her hand settled on his chest, her face relaxed. Grinning, he yawned and pulled her up against his side, tucking the blanket up to her chin and deciding he'd let her sleep just a couple more minutes...  
Her eyelids fluttered open and she immediately smiled. "Morning."  
"Morning, beautiful. Ready to start our new adventure?"  
She covered her mouth to yawn, nodding. "As ready as I'll ever be." 

After Aisling was with her tutors for the day, Rapunzel and Eugene took Jo and Zack with them during their discussion with the King and Queen.  
Rapunzel wrestled to keep Zack in her lap while they spoke, so Eugene nudged her.  
"Trade?" he asked. Jo reached with chubby hands out towards her mother, so Rapunzel laughed and nodded, giving Zack to his father and taking Jo in her arms. Zack amused himself with learning how to button and unbutton Eugene's vest, and Jo watched her grandmother intently.  
"We request that you and Eugene go back into training with us and some of our tutors so you are well-prepared for your new duties. Would this work?"  
"As long as we can bring the babies with us. I'm not giving up time with them for tutoring," Rapunzel said.  
"You must learn to make sacrifices during the ruling of a kingdom, dear, and that may very well mean sacrificing time with your family-"  
"They're not even a year old, mother. Spending time with our kids is going to be very important to us." Rapunzel said firmly, glancing at Eugene. He nodded and echoed her.  
The Queen sighed, rubbing her forehead, but the King set a hand on her shoulder. "We understand, and that will be just fine."  
"And the ceremony will be held January first at nine o'clock in the morning. Of course, you have several months to prepare, as it's not even April yet."  
"We'll still be able to ask you for assistance, right?" Rapunzel asked.  
"Yes. We just cannot act on executive actions."  
"Okay," Rapunzel and Eugene said at the same time. They looked at each other and laughed.  
"You'll make a wonderful Queen, I'm sure, Rapunzel. And you the Prince Consort, of course," the Queen said.  
"Yes. You've nothing to worry about, darling." the King smiled, the corners of his eyes crinkling.


	50. Chapter 50: Lost in the Mystery (p1)

**A/N: Guys. This is the fiftieth chapter. I'm not sure whether to apologize or be really thankful that you guys have stuck through ****_these many chapters. _****You're all awesome. As always, thanks so much for reading, reviewing, following, and favorite-ing.  
****I'm also starting to think I have a serious problem if I've managed to create over fifty one-shots and short stories of just one movie.  
Anyway, the title of this chapter/miniseries is based on some lyrics from the song _Already There _by Casting Crowns.  
**

* * *

When May rolled around, Rapunzel was more than ready for the nice summer weather. She generally took the twins outside while she received training from her mother and tutor on what she would do as a queen - a task she wasn't necessarily excited for. As always, everyone took a break from this on Sundays.

After a church service towards the end of May, Rapunzel asked her parents to watch Jo and Zack while she, Eugene, and Aisling went to the orphanage. The couple hadn't visited in almost a month, and this time, Aisling pleaded to go along with them. So they went!

When they arrived at the orphanage, they were greeted by a multitude of excited young faces, mixed with the wails of hungry babies.  
"Oh, thank _goodness!_" the maid exclaimed, pulling the three of them inside and immediately dropping a young baby and a full bottle into Rapunzel's arms. "Can you feed her while I clean up? Ralph just-ohh, no honey! Don't..." she ran towards another child and scooped it up quickly, administering a swift swat to the rear and setting it on a chair in the corner before moving to pick up the mess he had created.  
Rapunzel silenced the young baby by feeding it, glancing down to see Aisling's look of mute horror. Laughing, she nudged her with her hip. "Darling, don't be so scared! They're no different from you or the twins!"  
Eugene left their side to chase a three year old boy who had been pleading for a good game of tag-you're-it, and Aisling clung closer to her mother's side as the child raced around them.  
Rapunzel led her over to where the babies were. "Sweetie, why don't you hold this little one? He's really upset." Aisling stared at the child until Rapunzel returned from putting the other baby in her cradle. She scooped the baby up in her own arms instead, cooing to him and quieting him down. Next, they settled with the children to read several chapters of a fairytale Rapunzel had brought along. They did this until it was supper time and also time for Rapunzel, Eugene, and Aisling to go back home.  
"I always feel terrible leaving for our plush establishment," Rapunzel gave a wry smile and glanced at Eugene, who nodded in agreement.  
"Why? Those children were...were _terrible_! One girl wanted to steal our book!" Aisling cried, a look of pure disgust on her six-going-on-seven year old face.  
"Aisling!" Rapunzel gasped. "They weren't terrible. And she only wanted to keep it. They don't have much. They're not as blessed as we are."  
"What did they do to be cursed, then? They were so coarse and dirty and...and they were ruffians! They'll _never _get homes. They're ugly and dirty and have awful manners."  
Rapunzel stopped in the middle of the cobblestone walkway. "Aisling Rose," she paused, glancing towards Eugene, who looked as uncomfortable as she felt. "You may not talk about the orphans that way. They're not cursed. They have bad manners because they have nobody to teach _good _ones to them. They're all beautiful little children, and whoever adopts any of them are blessed. We were."  
"What?"

Rapunzel bit her lip hard. She hadn't meant to let that slip.  
Eugene cleared his throat and knelt in front of her, taking her hands. "Aisling, that's the orphanage that I grew up in. I was orphaned at around the same age that you are right now. And you, sweetie...we were there when your father brought you in. He didn't want you anymore, and you were just a few hours old. We adopted you. So see, dear Rose, they're no different than you and I."  
She pulled her hands away from Eugene, giving him a horrified stare. "But-but you call me your daughter! I'm not? I'm no different than those kids there? Why didn't my real dad want me?"  
"Honey," Rapunzel sighed, reaching to wipe at the tears that clustered and spilled onto her cheeks. She backed away as if her touch had burnt her little face. "Why didn't you tell me?"  
"Aisling, you're only going on seven years old! You're a smart girl, but you wouldn't have understood before. We weren't even sure we wanted to tell you, because we didn't want you to go through this. Come here, please, baby girl." She held her arms out, hoping her daughter would understand and not over react. Aisling seemed to toy with the thought of running away, but deemed it pointless and instead threw herself into her father's arms, instead of her mother's.  
"I'm sorry, daddy-"  
"For what, sweetheart? You didn't do anything wrong, you just didn't understand," he shot Rapunzel a glance and cuddled the little girl closer.  
_Did that mean he's mad for me spilling the beans? _Rapunzel thought. She pushed aside her own concern and reached to stroke Aisling's hair.  
"You are our daughter, honey. We raised you since you were a day old. Maybe we didn't have you like how we had Jo and Zack, but you're as much our child as the twins are. And see, those orphans aren't as bad as you make them out to be. Your daddy was a pretty unruly young man when I met him, but see how nice he is? They just need a family's love." Rapunzel explained.  
Aisling pulled away, rubbing her nose. "How did you and daddy meet, if you're a princess?"  
She licked her lips and smiled. "That's a story for tomorrow. How's that?"  
Aisling nodded in agreement, and Eugene scooped her up and carried her the rest of the way back to the castle.

By the time night rolled around, Rapunzel was pretty distraught. Eugene hardly even spoke or looked at her the rest of the day, and was fairly withdrawn from everyone. It just wasn't like him, obviously. After they put Aisling to bed with the promise of a back story tomorrow, Rapunzel looked forward to the chance to talk to him in private.  
As soon as she was in her nightgown, she sat down in bed and spoke up, setting her candle down on the table next to her. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to let Aisling's adoption slip."  
"Huh?" he asked, looking as if she'd just snapped him out of something.  
She refrained from tsking her tongue, wondering how he could play stupid so well. "I'm sorry for letting Aisling's adoption slip. You were really withdrawn tonight, so I thought maybe you were mad about it."  
"Wha-oh! No, honey. Not at all. While I didn't want her to really know about her adoption, she does now and there's nothing to be upset over, and she seems fine about it. I'm not mad. C'mere," he offered an arm, but she didn't curl up against him as usual.  
"Then what's bothering you?" she asked.  
"It's...well...I'll tell you tomorrow morning. How's that?"  
She laughed quietly. "What is it about tomorrow?"  
"What?"  
"Tomorrow. We're waiting to tell Aisling about our back story until tomorrow, and you're waiting to tell me your big secret or whatever it is until tomorrow."  
He grinned, but it seemed forced to Rapunzel. "Tomorrow's better than today because today, I'm tired."  
She smiled. "Okay, I'll let you off the hook until the morning. Good night, I love you." She watched his face until it disappeared into the sudden darkness after she blew the candle out. All that could be seen was a thread of smoke between them, and Eugene tried to bury his uncertainty as quickly as the candle flame had been extinguished.


	51. Chapter 51: Lost in the Mystery (p2)

Rapunzel woke Eugene bright and early in the morning so he wouldn't have any excuse not to tell her what was going on.  
He wasn't overly happy.

"When I said 'tomorrow morning', I didn't mean 'before the sunrise," he mumbled, rubbing his eyes and stretching.  
"We could sit on our balcony and watch the sunrise while we talk," she offered. While watching a sunrise wasn't exactly Eugene's forte, especially if lost sleep was involved (and especially since he hadn't had a very good night, full of nightmares), he couldn't refuse the hopeful smile she gave him.  
"Okay," he muffled a yawn and rolled out of bed.

When they'd dressed and went out onto the balcony, she stared at him expectantly. "So...what's going on?"  
"Do I really have to explain?"  
"Yes!" she nodded firmly.  
He sighed. "Well..basically what happened is that on this year's census records, your father found a woman with the last name of Fitzherbert. He's not sure who she is or where she came from, but he's bringing her to the castle to talk. He thinks either it's a relative or someone who's been trying to pass off as my wife in another country, or...a complete fluke. I don't know."  
"Oh," Rapunzel nodded. She wasn't exactly sure how to take that. "I thought you didn't have any relatives?"  
"I didn't think so, but Senior wasn't from Corona. He could've had family in another country that didn't want me. I don't know," he shrugged his shoulders to his ears, so Rapunzel slipped her arms around him.  
"Why are you nervous? You should be excited! You might have family ties!"  
He shook his head. "Where were they when I needed them? Now that I'm married to a princess, it's probably just a scam of sorts to get me to give them money. What they don't know is I'm not stupid."  
"Well, don't look at it that way. If you go into meeting this lady with a bad attitude, something bad _will_ happen! Go into it with a positive attitude."  
"Not to be offensive, but that's a lot of phooey. I met you with a bad attitude, and..well...we know how that turned out," he teased, winking at her.  
She laughed. "Okay. Point made. But I'm sure it's nothing to be worried about, darling."  
"We'll see. They're hoping to make contact with and bring her in in five days' time."  
Rapunzel nodded once more. "Okay."

That evening after lessons, Aisling sat down in Eugene's lap and put her arms around his neck, kissing his cheek. "Do I _finally _get to hear the story, daddy?"  
He grinned. She was obviously trying to schmooze him into telling her. "What story?"  
She gave him an exasperated sigh. Oh, the little drama queen that she was! "The one about you and mommy when you met!"  
"Ohh. Right, right. Okay." he kissed the tip of her nose. "When your momma comes back from putting Zack down for a nap, we'll start."  
"Okay." she nestled up against him and smiled adoringly at him.  
When Rapunzel returned, she shook her head. "The little beast is asleep!" she laughed. He wasn't much of one for naps.  
"Mommy! Mommy, come sit!" Aisling exclaimed, so Rapunzel obliged. "Is it story time?" Rapunzel asked.  
"Mmhm."  
"I'll start," Rapunzel said. "You remember the legend daddy told you about, the one with the magical golden flower that blossomed from a drop of sun that fell from the heavens centuries ago?"  
"Uh-huh," she nodded.  
"Well...it was something that really did happen. There was an old woman, named Mother Gothel, who found it. If you sung to that magical golden flower, it would heal the sick and injured. But Mother Gothel was greedy, and kept it all to herself. That wasn't nice of her, was it? Well, one day, your grandmother got sick. That was when I was wee little and still in her belly, like how Jo and Zack were in mine. The townspeople searched and searched for the magical golden flower, and thankfully, they found it! Your grandmother drank a tea made with the golden flower, and then I was born. I had really long, blond hair when I was born, and I had inherited the golden flower's healing powers. But just hours after I was born, Mother Gothel broke into the castle and stole me away after she found out that my hair had healing powers." Rapunzel looked at Eugene to continue.  
"And I was an orphan, as you know. When the orphanage couldn't keep me anymore, I had to turn to thievery just to stay alive. But one day...me and two big guys called the Stabbington brothers plotted this grand plan: a plan to steal your mother's crown, which was closely guarded and kept in hopes that one day, your mother would find her way home."

"This is where I want to break in," Rapunzel said. "The lantern festival we have every year? My parents did it every year I was gone, in hopes that the lanterns would somehow guide me home. Mother Gothel kept me in a tower deep in the woods, hiding me like she hid the golden flower. She told me that I was to never leave, and I had no other choice but to obey her. I could see the lanterns in the night sky every year, and couldn't help but long to see them in person."  
"It was the day before momma's birthday when we stole the crown. The guards gave chase, as they should, and I ended up double-crossing the brothers and running away. I came across the tower Rapunzel was kept in, and scaled the side of it so I could hide. I thought it was abandoned until - **bam**! Your mother knocked me out with a frying pan. A frying pan, of all things!" Aisling giggled, and he continued. "Then she tied me up into a chair with her hair, which had grown seventy feet long by the day before her eighteenth birthday."  
"It's important to add that if my hair was cut, it lost its power," Rapunzel added.  
"Yep. So I didn't want to take your mother anywhere, but she, being the smart girl she is, forced me into a deal with her: she'd return the crown -which she didn't even know was hers - if I took her to see the lanterns. Mother Gothel wouldn't, because she was supposed to stay in the tower all of her life."  
"And so we went! We faced ruffians, floods, and Mother Gothel stalking me, but we got to see the lanterns. Oh, Aisling, I can't tell you enough how amazing it was, seeing the things I'd only seen from my tower window or my dreams! But then...then the evening turned south."  
"The Stabbington brothers had found me, and they weren't happy. I tried to give them the crown so I could return to your mother, but they had other plans. It turns out that they had joined up with Mother Gothel. They beat me up and tied me to a boat with the crown, headed for the prison."

"And then the Stabbington brothers came for me. I ran away because they wanted to kidnap me...and then I heard Mother Gothel yelling for me. She double-crossed them and knocked the brothers out cold. She took me back to the tower. I thought that your father had betrayed me; had run off with the crown and left me. I was sitting in my room, thinking, and then I noticed something. The walls of my towers were painted with murals, and almost all of them had a similar pattern: the sun that's on our flags. I didn't know the pattern because I'd never seen the Corona sun before, but it was ingrained in my mind and I'd been painting it all the years I'd been held captive. It made me realize that I was the lost princess of Corona, who had been missing for eighteen years."  
"As your mom was figuring this out, I was escaping from prison with the help of some guys we'd come across on our adventure. Maximus - you know that old horse, right?" Aisling nodded, now completely enraptured by the story. "He raced me back to the tower. When I got into the tower..."  
"Mother Gothel had tied me to a post, sure to keep me inside forever. I knew the truth, and she couldn't bear it. She couldn't bear the thought of losing the power my hair possessed. So...when Eugene came back, there was a change of plans. I couldn't warn him because there was a rag around my mouth, keeping me from talking. She..um..."  
"She struck me with a dagger. You remember the fairytale where the prince almost died from the swordfight?" Aisling nodded again, eyes wide. "I was hurt, bad. It had struck me the entire way through my side. Well, your mother - being the feisty one she is, she got away from Gothel and got the rag off of her mouth, bargaining with her so she'd let her heal me. I didn't want your mother to do it, because I knew she'd have to be in captivity for the rest of her life. She didn't deserve that."  
"So he...he grabbed a shard of glass from a mirror that had been broken during my confrontation with Gothel..." Rapunzel trailed off. She was now lost in her own head, living the memory out once more. "He grabbed the shard and cut my hair off. All of it. Gothel had depended on the magical powers to keep her alive for hundreds of years, so when that magic was gone, she died and turned to dust."  
Eugene could tell she was having a hard time telling this part of the tale. "Your mom was pretty scared, I think. I, ah...she healed me, though. There was enough magic left in her body to fill one tear that fell onto my face. She healed me - she flat-out saved my life. And then we went to meet your grandparents."

Aisling gasped. "You're just like Flynnigan Rider! You almost died!"  
He chuckled at her awestruck expression. "Yeah, honey...almost." he glanced towards Rapunzel, who got up with a mumbled excuse of why she had to leave.  
"What was the song that the magic flower started glowing for?" Aisling asked.  
Eugene paused, thinking for a few minutes. "Your mother sings it beautifully, but the lyrics are kind of like this: '_Flower, gleam and glow; let your powers shine, make the clock reverse, bring back what once was mine. Heal what has been hurt, change the fates' design, save what has been lost, bring back what once was mine...what once was mine.'_" he cleared his throat after singing it quietly.  
"Ooh," Aisling smiled before hugging him. "You sang it beautifully too!"  
He laughed. "Did I? Well, thank you, baby."  
"Why did that woman hurt you?"  
"She knew I'd take Rapunzel away, take her to her rightful home right here," he said. "She was so greedy she couldn't bear the thought of losing Rapunzel's hair."  
"I don't think she cared one bit about mommy."  
"You may be right," Eugene nodded. "That's why it's important to learn how to be selfless and kind, and to learn how to share." Aisling nodded. "I will! I don't want to be like that old woman."  
"Good. Now, what're your plans for the evening?"  
Aisling started as if she'd been jarred back to reality. "Oh! Grandmomma wants me to get fitted for some new dresses right after you told me the story!" she gasped, jumping up and racing from the room before Eugene could even respond.  
He laughed, shaking his head before shutting his eyes a moment, wondering if he could fall asleep on the couch. At least, until he remembered Rapunzel's hasty exit. His eyes flew open and he hurried for their bedroom.

She wasn't in their room, or the library - but instead, in the painting room. When he finally found her, he was more than just slightly concerned. He leaned up against the door frame, relieved, and watched her for a moment. Her eyes were puffy red, but she worked quickly at a canvas she'd stretched on an easel.  
"There you are," he finally announced himself, and she almost jumped out of her skin, looking up and quickly setting her paintbrushes aside to rub at her face. "You okay?"  
"Oh, yeah," she laughed and waved it off. "What's Aisling up to?"  
"She's smitten with our story," he smiled gently at her, striding over to kneel beside the stool she sat on. "But she has an appointment with the tailor. It was rough on you, hm?"  
She bit her lip before finally nodding, her eyes tearing up once more. "I know it's stupid, because it's-it's been what, eight or nine years? But...I just remembered how much she manipulated me and how she _killed _you and you-you died in my arms and..."  
"It's not stupid," he stood up and pulled her into a hug, which she remained in for a few minutes before pulling away. He tucked her hair behind her ears before cupping her cheeks in his hands. "You gonna be okay?"  
She nodded, gulping and looking down at her feet. "Ye-eah," her voice was still shaky, so he tipped her face back up to tidy her tears and give her a quick kiss.  
"If you're sure, I'll leave you to your work and check up on the babies. What're you painting, anyway?"  
She nodded, clearing her throat before letting him see her work. He saw swirls of bright yellow, with the Corona sun bursting forth in the center. Off to the side was a man - him -, and the rays of light were coming from his vest. A bereft girl was beside him in the darkness of the tower.  
Nodding once more, she looked down at her hands, folding them neatly in her lap and looking a little embarrassed. "Yeah," she said quietly.  
"Well, it looks wonderful. But...can I take this for a sec?" he asked. She watched with confusion as he took the brush and carefully drew out two swirling yellow lines, which stretched to furl around the girl. "You needed something over there. Now, I'll be wrestling small children. Take your time with your painting."  
"Okay," she nodded, watching him leave before turning back to the painting, fine-tuning and shading the lines Eugene had drawn. It wasn't until the painting was finished and dried that she realized the beams he'd drawn were twisted into the shape of a heart, brightening even the darkest corner of the tower that she'd drawn.


	52. Chapter 52: Lost in the Mystery(p3)

Eugene cleared his throat, straightening his vest and cracking his neck. Licking his lips, he touched the door handle, took a deep breath, and pushed into the room. Before he'd gone to meet this mystery woman, Rapunzel had harped at him, asking him if he wanted her to come along as well. She was likely more curious than he was. But she'd mentioned helping Emilie if he didn't want her there, and he'd allowed her to go chat with her friend instead. Now he almost wished she was beside him - she was always good at soothing his nerves.  
"Eloise Fitzherbert?"  
A curvy woman with pale skin and dark hair - but strikingly blue eyes - turned and stared at him. She wore a tattered cream gown, but her hair was swept up and it cascaded elegantly down her neck. Her hands were worn and calloused, but were held in front of her.  
"Flynn?" her face lit up and she smiled at him.  
"Do I...know you?" he asked, striding into the room cautiously.  
Her mouth formed a pout. "You don't remember me, do you?" Impulsively, she strode over and planted her mouth against his.  
Yelping in surprise, he pushed her away from him fairly roughly. "Heather. Why-why are you here? What are you doing with a different name? What are you doing with _my _last name? Do you know the punishment for something like that? I do! What the...what the heck are you-"  
She smiled like a Cheshire cat, her plump lips curling as she folded her arms in front of her, regarding the man in front of her with a flirtatious gaze. "Well, darling, I thought I'd see how you were doing. Last time I saw you, you were being dragged off by the guards for stealing."  
"Because _you _alerted them about my whereabouts! I trusted you. You always were sly." A sickening thought made Eugene's stomach churn, and he backed towards the door, putting his distance between the horrible woman. "I-I'll ask you to leave before I have you e-e-escorted out by the guards the way you had me escorted out."  
"Oh," she clucked her tongue and followed after him. "You wouldn't do that to your old flame."  
"Flame? Hardly. We only kissed twice. That's as far as it went, and I'm quite thankful for that, in all honesty. I'm glad I waited for my wife. Now, once more, I'll ask you to leave. Please. I-I don't know what you're up to, but you can just forget it." He should have let Rapunzel come with him. Then..then she would've been less likely to act like this, and...

She laughed quietly. "But I thought you had so many questions for me!"  
He glowered at her, his curiosity peaking. He crossed his arms as he listened for her story. "Fine."  
"I got into a little trouble up in England. Hitched a free ride on a boat to here, and changed my name."  
"To my last name-my _real _last name. How did you even know it?"  
"I'm smarter than what you think," she shrugged. "Word of mouth and then a quick visit to the country orphanage."  
He tried to swallow, but couldn't - his mouth was too dry. "You're insane. Why?"  
"Well...on top of getting in trouble, I wanted to see you. You know, my father saw us and he was the reason why I had to turn you in."  
"Yeah right," Eugene snorted. "You had your eyes on the reward money and that's all you cared about."  
"I'm hurt you think that, Flynn...rather, Eugene."  
He pressed his lips into a straight line. "Don't you dare call-"

"Don't you want to know the rest of the reason why I'm here?"  
"What, then?!" he fairly yelled. He was out of patience and didn't feel comfortable with this woman in the castle...in the same building as his wife and children.  
"I remembered how adventurous you were. The castle life must be _so _drab. I'm offering you a deal to let you come with me to Switzerland. We'll start new lives there..." she stepped forward and fingered the clasps of his vest. She thought he was the same old Flynn Rider, only older and less nervous around girls. She needed him to act inappropriately. She heard voices coming closer to the room, and spoke quickly. She'd be slaughtered if this didn't go through: the plot to tear the new royal family apart. "Together! You may be married to the princess, but that doesn't mean you can't leave. Once a peasant, always a peasant." As she said this, Rapunzel pushed through the door into the room, laughing with Emilie about something. Impulsively, the woman pressed her lips against his. He pushed her away once more, yelling for the guards this time, but the damage was done - exactly what Heather had been sent here to do.

Rapunzel dropped the basket she'd been carrying and her wide green eyes stared at Eugene, tearing up. "E-Eugene?"  
He grabbed the woman's arm and pulled her roughly from the room, handing her off to the guards. "Take her to the prison. She's no relative of mine."  
"You don't even know who sent me here, Eugene!" Heather yelled, struggling against the guards. "You don't even know what's about to begin!"  
"Shut up, wretch!"  
"Just hug those kids of yours extra tight, Eugene. You'll wish you took me up on my offer!"  
He spun around on his heel, not letting the words sink in, but instead focusing on the fact that Rapunzel had witnessed the woman's infuriating actions.

"Rapunzel!" he called. She had picked up the basket and disappeared.

Rapunzel wanted to run away - either that or confront her husband and slap him, scream at him, ask him what on earth was going on. Was the woman a _wife_ from way back when? Did she even know the truth about him? Was this all a ruse? _Which _was the ruse - her or the other woman?  
"Princess, would you like me to take those for you?" Emilie asked. Rapunzel snapped to attention and blinked, looking at her friend.  
"Oh. No, Emilie. I told you I'd help out. I'll talk to him later. It'd probably b-be best if I wait to talk to him, anyway. I need time to think."  
"Do you know what's going on?"  
"I don't know," Rapunzel sniffed, blinking at the tears that were threatening to push through. "But he was kissing her, and...I don't know if she's...I don't know."  
Emilie shifted the basket to her hip and patted Rapunzel's shoulder with her free hand, a calm woman in even the most stressful situations. "I'm sure you'll get it figured out. I didn't peg him as the adulterer type, though, so I wouldn't worry too much, dear."  
Rapunzel nodded, taking a few deep breaths that were supposed to be calming, but only made her heart pound faster. They'd been married this long, for goodness' sake! What was he _doing_?  
She set the basket of clothing on the lawn and watched Emilie use the pulley system to bring the rope clothesline down. She handed Rapunzel a bunch of thick clothespins, and they got down to the work of putting the freshly-washed clothes out to dry.

As they did so, Eugene found them.  
"Rapunzel! There you are. I was starting to get worried," he released a relieved laugh.  
"Were you?" Rapunzel asked, not turning to look at him. Emilie cleared her throat and slipped away.  
"I'm going to get the next basketful of clothes scrubbed up, dear," Emilie called over her shoulder. Eugene watched her leave and then spoke up.  
"Yes, of course I was worried!" he moved to stand beside her, picking up a wet article of clothing and reaching to take a clothespin from the wad she gripped in her hand. She tightened her grip and told him she'd take care of them. "I know you could, but it'd be nice to have some help, huh? Are you okay?"  
She threw the clothespins on the ground and turned to stare at him, hands on her hips. "What do you think, Eugene? What _was _that? A woman...a woman with your last name...was kissing you! A-a very beautiful woman! What's going on?"  
His eyes widened. "You don't think..."  
"I don't know _what_ to think! I hate to think you're up to no good just based on your past, but.." she huffed and stared at him pensively, as if she could read his mind. Right now, she wished she could!  
Eugene nodded. She had a right to expect the worst from him. He explained the whole confusing thing to her, but it didn't seem to help his case any.  
"Did you try to stop her?" she asked finally.  
"Yes! Of course I did! But she's relentless and-I don't even know what goes on in her head."  
Rapunzel gave him a dubious glance, but bent to pick up the clothespins she'd dropped.

He did as well, picking up a few and pausing to watch her face. She was furiously blinking, obviously trying to conceal tears - be they from sadness, betrayal, or anger.  
"Hey. Sweetie..." he trailed off and set the clothespins back on the ground, reaching instead to take her hands.  
"I'm trying to do something productive here..." she trailed off, fighting him when he tried to remove the wood pins from her hands. Finally, she huffed and met his eyes, dropping the stupid things. "What?"  
"I'm sorry you saw that. I'm sorry it even happened. I'm sorry I told you you could help Emilie instead of coming with me instead. I didn't even know it _was _her at first. But I promise you, I'm not up to any funny business and I never intend to. Why would I?"  
She shrugged her shoulders up to her ears. "I don't know. Maybe I'm not good enough. Maybe you always had a thing for that girl. Maybe you don't want to be a prince consort after all, and want to escape before you have actual commitment."  
He shook his head. "No. I'm nervous about being the prince consort, but why would I leave my beautiful little family for a life on the run with someone whom I despise? I've told you before, but I guess I'll tell you again - I never really felt anything for Heather except maybe lust. And I don't anymore, it was only temporary, like any lust ever known to mankind. That's pathetic compared to true love. And what's this about you not being good enough?"  
"I don't know," she mumbled. "I don't know much of anything, I guess."  
He sighed, reaching to kiss her forehead hesitantly. "Yes, you do. You're a smart cookie. Do you trust me when I say that I don't care for her?"  
She met his eyes and nodded, her anger melting away as his explanations sank in and made sense. "Yes."  
"Do you trust me when I say I'd never do anything to hurt you or the kids?"  
"Yes," she nodded again.  
"Do you forgive me?"  
"Even though I guess it wasn't your fault she got too friendly with you, yes."  
He grinned, relieved. "Do you trust me when I say you're the most beautiful woman on earth, and I'm blessed to have you as my wife?"  
She rolled her eyes, but the corners of her lips betrayed her. "You're just saying that."

"No I'm not," he pulled her into a hug.  
"I'm sorry if I overreacted," Rapunzel sniffled and buried her face in his shoulder.  
"You didn't overreact. If I were you, I would've started beating the crap out of me if I would've walked in to see that."  
"Not saying it didn't cross my mind," she said, and he chuckled, pulling her a little closer.  
"That's my girl. I love you. And only you, for the record."  
She finally let her lips spread into a small smile, finally relaxing. "I love you too. It's good to know, but I'm not sure how I can even consider trusting a thief's word."  
"So I'm back to being called a plain ole thief, instead of ex-thief?" he asked teasingly.  
"We'll see," Rapunzel threw back, trying to pull a poker-face.  
"Hmh. Well, we'd better get these clothes put out before they get all wrinkled, huh?"  
She nodded, clearing her throat and glancing back at the clothes-basket and the clothespins, which were scattered about.  
After they'd collected the clothespins, he poked her with one and grinned. "You going to let me help this time?"  
"Maybe," she feigned a swipe at the pin he'd poked her with, and he held it behind his back protectively, reaching to tickle her with his free hand before getting down to the task of hanging clothes to dry.


	53. Chapter 53: The Plot (p4)

The day after Heather's surprise return, the family was going about their normal day when several guards rushed in.  
"You're to be kept in our protective care," the Captain said gruffly. "That woman alerted us to a larger plan including the decimation of the royal family. We couldn't get many details out of her, but we do know that something's going to take place within the next three weeks."  
Rapunzel almost dropped a sleeping Jo, who was cuddled in her arms. "Why?"  
"Our guess is that some not-so-nice people from Eugene's past have decided that they don't want him to be the ruler of the kingdom. It's too good of a life for him." the Captain said.  
"Why?" Aisling asked.  
"Some people are just like that, honey," Eugene told her quickly. "Do you know who? Are the Stabbingtons still around?"  
"They were released two years ago. There were no reports that could back up their execution."  
"And Heather?" he asked unblinkingly.  
"She's one less threat to worry about. We've been looking for her for quite some time."  
"Twenty-four-seven, like when we were at war with Al'vae?" Rapunzel asked.  
The Captain nodded. She bit her lip.  
"The kids, right?" was her next question.  
"No. We feel that they will target you and Eugene more so than the children."  
Rapunzel glanced uneasily down at the child in her arms, not quite a year old yet and still so little, but nodded. The majority of their guards would be searching for potential threats.

"Exactly what all did you get out of Heather?" the King asked.  
"That she's part of a three-part plan. With her portion over, there will apparently be two more phases come in the next three weeks. The ultimate plot is to either force Eugene away or split the two of them so he cannot become the ruler of Corona. The list of people that would like a whack at Eugene is a long one - the Stabbingtons, for example, and after taking a look at some documents, we found three people on a ship from Al'Vae that recently came into the country. We also found out that Heather is working with a descendant of Gothel, the woman who took Rapunzel as a baby. Apparently, before she found the magic flower in approximately the year 1291, she had five children with her husband. When they all married off and her husband died, she likely found the magic flower, isolated herself from them all, and then kept it to herself for hundreds of years, until Rapunzel was born. Heather explained this all and said that when she told this woman's great-great-great granddaughter about knowing a girl that previously possessed the magic that estranged Gothel from her ancestors, she was filled with bloodlust and agreed to help with the plan. We are led to believe that this attack will focus on taking Rapunzel, instead of Eugene. Without Rapunzel, Eugene could not ascend to the throne, because she's the only thing tying him to the throne."

Eugene stared at his wife and put an arm around Aisling's shoulders. What was going to happen? Rapunzel was probably in more danger than he was - no, _definitely_, and what would they do if the kids got in the way of their grand plan? He shuddered at the thought.  
"I can take care of myself," Rapunzel said. "I'm sure this woman has nothing on her ancestor Gothel." "I wouldn't be too sure of yourself, Princess. You're to be under careful watch regardless."

Rapunzel sighed, but her parents gave her a sharp look and she nodded. "Okay. But I'd rather the guards watch the kids instead of me. They're so vulnerable."  
"Again, we're led to believe that they're after _you_ and Eugene, not the children."

* * *

Five nights later, Aisling woke Rapunzel, Eugene, and a frazzled guard by beating on the bedroom door frantically, screaming.  
"What, sweetheart?" Rapunzel had wrapped a robe around herself and rushed to let her in. Aisling flew into her arms, sobbing. "Sh-h-h-h, calm down, baby. What's wrong, did you have a bad dream?"  
"I-I.." she took a deep breath and hiccuped. "I-I woke up when I heard some thumps and Zachary was crying. I went to invest'gate and-and...and...and Jo's gone! Just _gone! _The-the..the window's wide open and Zack's still there but Jo isn't!"


	54. Chapter 54: The Captors(p5)

Rapunzel immediately went out after her baby. With just a candle - nothing more, nothing less - she raced across the cobblestone in her bare feet. Through the town square, past numerous houses. The people who were awake at this ungodly hour stared out of their windows as the Princess ran past. Rumors would quickly spread as to why the pretty girl was out so late and in such a rush, but for now, most just blinked and went back to what they were doing beforehand.  
Rapunzel was terrified and furious all at the same time. What business did those dreadful people have with her daughter? Why hadn't the guards just listened to her in the first place? What were they doing to her? Would she go missing forever? Would they keep her locked up as some cruel reprisal of what Gothel had done to Rapunzel? Or would they...

Rapunzel got to the bridge before she saw her daughter, lying on the stone bridge and wailing.  
"Oh, my poor baby girl," Rapunzel cooed, her frantic thoughts calming and focusing on her daughter. "Are you okay?"  
Her whimpers quieted for the most part as Rapunzel knelt beside her, setting the candle down and scooping her into her arms. She cuddled her to her chest and whispered to her until she quieted to little sobs. Her whole little body was shaking. "We'll get you home, baby girl. C'mon," she let Johanna bury her little face in the crook of her neck, but before she could reach for the candle, everything went dark.

Eugene and several guards had set out soon after Rapunzel - and Eugene was planning on reaming his wife out as soon as this was all over with. Her actions were completely foolish, especially with the threat hanging over their heads! He knew most of the people presumed to be in cahoots with Heather, and they weren't to be messed with.  
They found little Jo, crying once more, on the bridge, next to a candle that had been toppled over and snuffed out.  
He immediately ran over and picked her up, not noticing the candle until he kicked it with his foot.  
"This is the candle from our room. See the metal holder it's in?"  
"You don't think-" Conli cleared his throat.  
Eugene paled. "It's a diversion. They kidnapped Jo and probably left her somewhere, poor baby, and then waited in the dead of the night for Rapunzel or I to come. They took her."

* * *

Rapunzel was kept unconscious. When she finally awoke, she was alone.  
Her ears rang. Her head ached - was this what Eugene had felt like when she knocked him out on the day they met? Her body was sore. She struggled to her feet and looked around. She was in an all-too-familiar place and in an all-too-memorable position. Her hands were bound behind her back by heavy shackles. The old tower was mostly dark, and a thick layer of dust covered everything. Her old paintings were nearly covered over in the scum.  
She gulped before calling out, "I know who you are, and..I'm not a-afraid of you, or what you plan to do to me."  
"Oh, but you don't know what I plan to do, darling." A candle lit, and the woman carrying it motioned to someone in the rafters of the tower, who opened the center door, letting light stream in from the roof.  
Rapunzel swallowed a gasp. The slender woman had raven-black hair and piercing gray eyes, just like her ancestor. Her hair was stick-straight, though, and kept in a tight French braid. Her crimson dress was covered by a black cloak. She fingered an ancient dagger.  
"You're Gothel's-"  
"Good guess, deary! I'm Priscilla." Her gaze dropped to the weapon in her hand and a smile curled the edges of her darkly-stained lips. "Do you remember this?"

The blood stains were still coating the dagger.  
_"Eugene, look out!" I screamed, but the gag prevented it from coming out clearly. Mother Gothel stepped from the shadows and drove the point into his vest. I saw it go the whole way through him, and he gasped in pain. When she yanked it from him, blood rushed to darken the tear in his vest and drip on the floor. His hands moved to cover it. I cried out in horror, yanking against my shackles and trying to get to him. I couldn't. This was all my fault. He was going to die if I didn't get to him-  
_"Yes," Rapunzel nodded, fighting to keep her composure. "The blade's worthless, I'm sure. It's gone quite some time without getting that cleaned off - it's rusted and dirty."  
"Mm, but I have others. And besides," she tapped the dull tip thoughtfully. "If I cut you with this, you might get that awful ailment that destroys your muscles."  
Clostridium tetani. A newly found bacteria that would destroy you; later on it would be called tetanus.  
Rapunzel nodded. "Why do you want me? What did you do with Jo?"  
"Oh, she's okay - someone will find her. We left her right where you found her. And we want you for quite a few reasons." Priscilla went on to list some of these reasons.  
"So you'll not touch my family as long as you have me in captivity?"  
"Well...the Stabbingtons sure would like a whack at Eugene."  
"But I'm the reason he's prince consort. Without me, he can't be. He'd be right back to where he started," Rapunzel said. "My..my parents hate him. They'd take the kids and kick him out." Yes, she was blatantly lying. But it was for her family's safety.  
"That is true," she nodded.  
"What do you plan on doing to me?"

She laughed. "You really want to know that? Brave. Well, I'm going to beat you, cut you, starve you...destroy you. It's only what you deserve after what you did to Mother Gothel. What that flower did to her. And if you let the Stabbingtons and I do whatever we please with you, I'll promise not to touch your family. The brothers want to ask for a ransom and then kill you, but we'll see. You'll either die from dehydration or from other means - either way," she shrugged as if it didn't matter. "If you try to escape, they'll be as good as dead. Your whole family. I will promise you that."  
Rapunzel nodded, licking her lips and trying to keep her fear under control. "If you promise, and if I can trust you..you can do whatever you want to me. I don't care. As long as you promise not to touch my family. Any of them. Not my parents, not Eugene, and certainly not the kids."  
Priscilla nodded, tapping her cheek for a moment. "It's a deal, Flower. I'd ask to shake your hand, but it looks like you're a little tied up right now."  
Rapunzel ignored the terrible pun, her mind flooding with Gothel's voice - how many times she'd called her 'Flower'.  
_You must stay here, where you're safe. You understand, Flower? You mustn't keep a chameleon in here. It would die, Flower, and you wouldn't want that. The outside world is terrible and would eat you alive, Flower - you must stay here. You must not read these books. They're filling your head with terrible things. You understand, Flower?..._


	55. Chapter 55: New Rules(p6)

All the abandoned houses were to be checked, any old barns, any pubs - anywhere. Eugene was going crazy - it had been three days and Rapunzel had yet to be found. He couldn't help the guards any - he was kept under close surveillance and he became a mother hen-type to the kids. They weren't taking it well, either - obviously. Aisling had attempted to run away in search of Rapunzel already, so he had to keep an eye especially on her.

Rapunzel wasn't beaten yet. They were planning it, though; she could hear them talking about it in what used to be Gothel's room. This was one of the rare moments that she was completely alone, allowed to think of a plan that gave her freedom and her family safety. Her morning sickness reminded her of yet another reason why she needed to get out of here somehow. Yes; she was a month and a half expectant, and had gone to the doctor just a few days before she had been captured. She hadn't told anyone, and had asked him to keep quiet until the whole 'plot to destroy the royal family' thing had blown over. Her sickness had been more severe than usual for the past few days and she felt _off. _When she threw up - loudly, unfortunately - Priscilla came rushing out along with the woman from Al'vae.  
"What did you do that for?" the raven-haired woman snapped.  
"I'm sorry," she bit her lip and tried to cover up her embarrassment.  
"You've hardly eaten anything, how are you throwing up? Did you do something to yourself? Did you?" the other woman, Jess, asked, getting in her face.  
"No," Rapunzel turned her face away to avoid Jess' face (and her terrible breath).  
They left her alone for the rest of the morning and some of the afternoon, until Rapunzel fell even more ill and was terrified. She was fairly certain by then that she was having another miscarriage. When she ended up fainting, she caught the attention of the Stabbingtons.  
"What do we do now? Has she fainted? Did she die?" the Stabbington brother who always spoke for the pair said.  
The entire group gathered and stared at her. "No. She's still breathing. Get me a pail of water from our basin, Jess," Priscilla ordered. She was the faster-thinking of the bunch. The wiry woman, Jess, did as she was told and came back with a small pail full of tepid water.

Priscilla dumped it unceremoniously over the princess' head, and Rapunzel came to; spluttering, gasping, and choking. "Wh...what...ugh!"  
"I'll ask you one more time," she leaned down to say, "and if you don't answer, I'm going to find Jo again and this time, she won't be left safe and sound. What did you do to yourself?"  
Rapunzel considered her circumstances. Of course she had to tell them. What use was hiding it, anyway? She knew she was miscarrying and she'd never get out of this wretched prison anyway. "I'm pregnant," she said quietly, "or at least, I was. I think I'm having a miscarriage. That's why I'm sick."  
Priscilla stepped back, surprise on her face. Jess looked almost empathetic, but then her face hardened. "Good, then - we needn't any more children of yours or your husband's running about!"  
Rapunzel's eyes widened with surprise from the harshness. "What's it matter to you, anyway?"  
"Our country suffered greatly from your husband's actions-"  
"It-" Rapunzel bit her tongue to keep from answering. A wave of nausea flowed over her, and she considered projectile vomiting at the woman.  
"Wait, didn't you have this problem before?" Priscilla asked.  
"Why do you need to know?"  
"Comply, darling, or your life will be ruined. I promise you that."  
"Yes. I did." she looked down at her lap.  
"Atta girl." Priscilla left surprisingly fast, nodding for the rest to follow suit.

Rapunzel collapsed up against the post she was shackled to, slamming her head up against it a few times. If she had a headache to begin with, she may as well make it worse. She didn't want to go through this, not again. She couldn't. At least Eugene didn't know - he wouldn't be upset.  
When the Stabbingtons walked past, heading out of the tower to get more food and supplies, they each spat at her as they walked by. She didn't lift her head; didn't give them the satisfaction of her desolate expression. When they didn't provoke a response from her, the one stopped and turned back, scuffing his feet right up to where she sat. "Useless filth as you are," he growled. His deep voice terrified her. She could remember it plain as day from when she'd first met them. _How much do you think someone would pay to stay young and healthy forever? _  
"I'm not useless, and I'm only filthy if you let me get filthy." she couldn't fight back, but she could still speak out verbally, and she was upset enough to do it.  
He shook his head and then pulled back, kicking her knee before jerking his head towards his brother.  
"Come on. Burnin' daylight."

The disjointed day finally focused sometime during the night. Rapunzel couldn't sleep - that wasn't altogether unusual, however - and was finally thinking of what had happened today.  
She had her back to the door in which her captors were behind, and she was curled up into a ball, trying to figure out if she could somehow maneuver her arms and shackles so she could have her arms in front of her. If she was extremely flexible, it was possible; but then she'd be nearly flat up against the post. She could, however, still choke someone if need be. A shiver filled her. _...kill someone if need be..._she shook her head vigorously. She knew it was the only chance she would have, but she could barely bring herself to as much as consider it. She sighed, her headache worsening, and gave the chain a good, frustrated yank. It didn't give way, of course. Rapunzel blew her hair out of her eyes. What had Eugene taught her? Two hair-pins? Did anyone even have hair-pins around here? She couldn't ask, obviously. Otherwise, she could pick her lock and be on her way!

She finally pushed it out of her mind for the evening, promising herself she'd figure something out in the morning. When she stilled, though, all she could think of was the miscarriage.  
She sighed. "I was looking forward to meeting you, baby. You might've been so little and still unborn, but you were already taking a place in my heart," she didn't know who she was talking to.  
A candlelight filled the room. "Who are you talking to?" A man with a thick Al'vae accent asked roughly. She quickly pinched her eyes shut and made herself relax, hoping to appear asleep. It didn't work. "Look at me when I enter the room, and answer me. I know your tricks!" he growled, and before Rapunzel knew what was going on, a searing pain ripped through, of all places, the calf of her right leg.  
"I-I..what did I do? I was talking to myself! Nobody's here! You're the one with the light, why couldn't you figure that out by yourself?"  
"What I thought," he snorted smugly, pocketing a small blade. "New rules. You face the door when any of us enter, or you'll get a nice little slice like what I just gave you. Honor your captors."  
Rapunzel nodded, widening her eyes and trying to look scared. Maybe she was a bit scared. He grinned, revealing quite a few lost teeth, and then stalked off.  
"Twisted fool," Rapunzel breathed, turning her back once more and ignoring the throbbing pain in her leg.


	56. Chapter 56: A Lead (p7)

Two days later, the men from Al'vae - Bret and Leo - started unfastening the chains from around the post.  
"Where are you taking me?" Rapunzel asked. She'd barely been given anything to eat or drink since her miscarriage, and her voice was weak.  
"The stairwell. Priscilla wants you to stay there." Bret pulled away the tile, and Rapunzel stared down at the dank stairwell. She'd only been down it once, and she'd hated it.  
"Are there rats?" Rapunzel asked suddenly. She'd overheard Leo complain loudly about the rat situation in the tower, and he apparently had a strong case of musophobia. He also happened to be the one holding her chains right now.

She felt the chains ease up a little, and then she jerked forward with all of her strength. She still had her hands behind her back and the chains were pulling behind her unbearably, but then she heard the chains clatter to the floor and it invigorated her. She dashed for the window, turning her back to it and trying to unfasten the latch that way.  
" 'Ey! Get back 'ere!" Bret barked. Rapunzel didn't know how she would get out of the tower from the window, but she'd figure it out. Eugene had made it up with arrows, so certainly there were ledges where she could grip on with her fingertips.  
She pushed the window open, but before she could swing over the sill, Bret overpowered her, nearly shoving her out of the window in his rage. Yanking her over to the side and gesturing for Leo to shut the window, he growled. Shoving her up against the wall and then shaking her shoulders hard enough to make her head spin - and then slamming her head up against the stone wall for good measure -, he narrowed his eyes and bared his teeth like some dreadful animal. "Next time you pull something like that, you'll be dead an' so will everyone else in your bloody worthless family!"  
"Why don't you just kill me and get it over with?" Rapunzel snapped.  
He sneered a moment, but then let go of one shoulder so he could caress her cheek with a clammy, rough hand. "We've too many plans for you to end the fun quite yet. Priscilla's got quite an agenda."  
Rapunzel twisted her face away, chills running through her entire body, and then she felt a sharp pain in her same cheek. He'd cut her because she'd looked away from him. Fighting against every instinct in her body, she kept her face away so he couldn't see the tears filling her eyes. Didn't give him the satisfaction. He stepped away and pushed her forward, dragging her down into the stairwell, where she was chained to another post.

A few hours later - it could have been hours, days, or mere minutes; she didn't know and she couldn't see a blame thing -, Priscilla gave her a visit. "Heard you tried to get away," she sat down on the stair above Rapunzel.  
"What use was it?"  
"It was still a breach of contract," she smiled cruelly.  
Rapunzel's eyes widened in the darkness and she turned to Priscilla's voice. "You're not..."  
"I'm sending the Stabbingtons. They know Eugene better than any of us."  
"No," Rapunzel whispered. "No! You-you can't! I didn't succeed in getting away! You said if I got away, not if I _tried_. Maybe you're breaching your own contract!"  
Priscilla laughed. "When you're the boss, you can change the rules at will."  
She gasped. "You planned on killing him all along!"  
"You're smarter than you seem," Priscilla chortled. "We could care less about your kids. But you and Eugene, however...you've both caused a lot of grief. Don't worry; they promised to do it quickly for Eugene. You, however..." she smiled and patted Rapunzel's head just like Gothel always had. She then unchained her right hand and left, leaving her slightly more free but still hopelessly captive and frustrated.  
"Wait!" Rapunzel called before she set the tile back down. "Do you want to know what Gothel was like? What your ancestors missed out on?"  
She paused and Rapunzel saw her cold eyes even through the darkness.  
Rapunzel thought for a few moments and gathered her thoughts. "She gave me everything I wanted except for freedom. She fed me, clothed me, and was my parent. She hit me if I asked a question or took my books away if I started getting too curious about things. She killed Eugene and she double-crossed the Stabbingtons."  
Priscilla stared at her pensively for a moment, but then her face hardened and she slammed the tile closed above the princess' head.

History did repeat itself.  
She was the lost princess.  
The Stabbingtons were on a mission to kill Eugene.  
Their kids would be orphans.

She slid to her side and wept, her tears intermingling with blood from her injured cheek.

* * *

The very same morning proceeding Rapunzel's attempted escape, he awoke to a pillow pressing into his face, cutting off his air.  
Immediately, muscle memory kicked in and he started pumping his legs - _see, this is why I never sleep with heavy blankets - _and clawing with his short fingernails. He connected with his knee and then flew upright as soon as he could. The brother who spoke was on guard. The mute, whose vocal chords had been cut out years ago in a terrifically dreadful fight, had been doing the dirty work. Eugene rolled over in bed, grabbed the frying pan from the bedside table and knocked the mute out before he could even collect himself. He'd never understood why his wife insisted on keeping a frying pan in their room...until two long strides, he met the other brother and clocked him harshly with the pan. It dazed him but didn't knock him out completely, so Eugene finished the job with a sharp punch squarely to the face. He fell with a thud.  
Eugene examined his aching knuckles. "_Jeez_! I knew he was hardheaded, but not _literally. _Yow!" he shook his throbbing hand and then got to work tying them to two chairs. Finally, he went in search for the guard who'd obviously been slacking.

He was on the floor, alive but unconscious with his sword at his side. When Eugene had confirmed that he was alive, he went outside to get a pail of cold water.

Eugene sloshed it over the brother who spoke.  
"Where is she?" he asked.  
"How would I know?" he asked dumbly, sneering.  
Eugene had absolutely no patience. He grabbed fistfuls of the man's dirty vest, yanking on them roughly. He gave his head a good shaking and then pushed his face into the other man's thick face. "You're not getting out of this. One way or another, you _will _tell me. Either you can just tell me or I'll rip you limb from limb and claim it self defense. I promise you I will. But either way, you _will _tell me where my wife is!" he spat.  
The Stabbington brother was astounded by Eugene's protective side. He'd only seen it one other time; in the jail when he had begged for details about what had happened to Rapunzel then.  
But still, he wouldn't answer; so Eugene grabbed his thick, grimy middle finger and pushed it backwards towards his wrist until the taller man howled in pain. The brothers were notorious for low pain tolerances.  
"The tower, the tower!" he choked.  
_So obvious, _Eugene thought. He nodded curtly and went to alert the guards. Two went to retrieve the Stabbingtons and wake the unconscious guard. Two others went with Eugene, and the rest were forced to stay and watch Aisling, Johanna, and Zachary.  
Eugene yanked Maximus' cinch tight. The gelding was about twelve years old now, just in his prime. "Rapunzel's in trouble, buddy," he swung up into the saddle and gathered his reins. Max neighed anxiously, pawing the ground and tossing his head. "Show me the definition of haste!"

* * *

It was the same morning in which the Stabbingtons had been captured, and Rapunzel was facing a whipping.  
Priscilla was furious over her definition of Gothel's parenting skills, deeming her a liar and a waste of space on the planet.  
She slid the tile aside, followed by the woman from Al'vae, who carried a harsh leather whip with small stones tied to the tassel of it.  
"Why don't you tell me one reason why I shouldn't kill you right now?" Priscilla asked, crouching and digging her fingernails into Rapunzel's chin, dragging her up to meet her gaze.  
"You won't have a punching bag anymore," she met her gaze evenly and croaked. She hadn't been given water or food since she'd been sent to the stairwell.  
Priscilla shook her head. "You're worthless as even that. And you're worthless to your husband. Heck, you probably don't have a husband anymore. They're supposed to come back today, I think, actually. So why even keep you around?"  
Rapunzel nodded and then the woman from Al'vae grabbed a handful of hair, dragging Rapunzel to her feet and then pulling back with the whip.


	57. Chapter 57: A Return (p8)

A day later, Rapunzel heard voices outside of the tower walls. She wondered for a moment if more people were coming to torture her. Priscilla and her little group had seen how severely dehydrated she was and, after a good beating that left her bleeding but still hardheaded and refusing to take the dreadful poison they offered, had left her to die and be devoured by the rats that now resided in the tower. The awful creatures had already attempted nibbling at her toes; she'd kicked them away and decided then and there to try to get away. She was still chained to the post. She'd tried to dredge up the strength to snap the post, but she didn't have it. Then she'd considered breaking her thumb in order to slip out of the handcuffs - something Eugene had taught her long ago - but didn't have the strength to do that, either. She was weak and close to death; she'd been badly beaten multiple times the day before and whipped twice. She was too dehydrated to even cry.

She shifted her aching body and closed her eyes. Whoever was coming right now would surely end her life; all she could do was hope that they'd kept their promise and left the rest of her family alone. That's all that mattered to her right now. But still, she licked her cracking lips with her dry tongue and still let her mind run through the things she could do to try to get away. She couldn't break her thumb - unless maybe, maybe she could press up against the post hard enough and at _just _the right angle...slightly hopeful with this new idea, she fumbled behind her to get her left thumb against the edge of the post. A splinter drove into her skin, but she focused all her strength and her slightly foggy mind on breaking the wretched digit. It was harder than she'd thought, but she pressed all of her shaking body up against the post and pressed, praying to break it. She could hear footsteps inside the stairwell now. Either way, she'd be found soon. So she screamed.  
"Help," came the pitiful whimper. She coughed and tried again. "Help! _Help me!"_

"Rapunzel!"  
Her breath caught, and her eyes flew open, blinking and focusing on her husband and the torch he carried. Two guards followed him, and they quickly went past Rapunzel to go into the tower in order to ensure nobody was waiting to ambush them. Eugene half fell, half ran over to her like a big, overexcited dog at the sight of his long-lost human.  
"You're okay," she mumbled happily. She was in some sort of delirious state of ecstasy and dehydration-induced confusion.  
"Of course I am! Are you okay, baby girl?" as he spoke, he saw her shackle and quickly fished in his pocket, retrieving the two hair-pins he always carried _just in case._ "I'm going to pick the locks."  
"Okay," she nodded, watching him work.  
"Just a minute...almost there. Almost there," he muttered as he worked. "We apprehended the whole lot of them. Bloody fools didn't think about taking different pathways. Good for us, bad for them." he pocketed the pins and let the shackle fall on the stair with a cold clank, and she practically fell into his arms. Luckily enough, she didn't knock him backwards down the stairs.  
"Thank you," she choked.  
He held her tight and rocked her gently from side to side, nearly ready to cry himself. Even though it had only been about a week, he'd thought her dead. Looking up, he saw the guards returning. "Get the water skin from my saddle, Joe, please? She looks bad, she needs water." he asked of the other guard, who nodded and eased past them. Rapunzel's throat produced a scratchy sound similar to a sob, and he turned his attention back to the brunette whose face was buried in his shoulder. "It's okay. You're okay."

* * *

They rode faster than ever before, and made it back to the castle by around ten o'clock that night. Rapunzel was incredibly weak and had gulped three glasses of water thirstily as soon as Eugene had carried her into the doctor's quarters. The cuts on her legs, which had scabbed over, had reopened from riding Maximus home, so they were cleaned and disinfected with some strong-smelling alcoholic beverage, as were the long but shallow cuts to her cheek, and the various cuts from the whip. This was all done after she'd scrubbed herself almost raw, trying to erase the stench of dried blood and rat odor and the tower in general. She could barely walk and had no appetite, despite going without food for the amount of time that she had. She only wanted water, and eventually threw up from drinking too much too fast.  
"You've got to pace yourself, dear. You don't want to get sicker," the gruff doctor had told her with surprising gentleness. The King and Queen were woken and they immediately ran down to see their daughter, and after their tear-filled reunion, forced her to eat. Aisling was woken and for once, she spent every moment clinging to her mother's side.

By midnight, Rapunzel was fixed up and everyone had finally retired to bed once more, save for Eugene. She could feel her strength returning, but she was still clumsy and weak when she tried to walk. Her head still felt foggy and confused, as well. She convinced Eugene to let her go check in on the babies, and so he let her lean on him in order to walk.  
"When did you find Jo?" she whispered, watching them sleep from the doorway.  
"Probably not too long after they took you," he said. "She's okay. She was really shaken up, but she was uninjured."  
"Poor sweetheart," she murmured, slumping against the door frame and sighing quietly. The sight of the two little ones sleeping seemed to soothe her frazzled mind, but eventually, they left and peeked in on Aisling one more time.  
"She took it really hard. She even tried to run away to go find you herself," Eugene whispered.  
Rapunzel gulped, her heart going out to the girl who was now sleeping with her favorite stuffed animal, a smile across her face even in sleep. "She's such a dear. Poor girl!" after a few minutes, she eased the heavy door closed and they made their way to their own bedroom.

Rapunzel didn't look forward to sleep, despite the fact that she was exhausted. All she could think about was Gothel and the tower.  
She eased herself into her nightgown and smeared some handmade cream over her hands and beeswax on her lips to soften and moisturize them, and then forced herself to crawl in bed. Her entire body was shaking from exhaustion and still from the whole ordeal, and she instinctively turned on her side to face the door.  
Eugene set a hand on her side. "Will it hurt if I put my arm around you? I'm scared I'll hurt you. You're pretty banged up..." She shook her head silently, scooting backwards and allowing him to gingerly slip his arms around her, easing her snugly up against him. Nuzzling her hair a moment, he cleared his throat. "Are you feeling okay? You're shaking."  
"I'm okay," she swallowed and tried to force her eyes shut. They wouldn't go; wouldn't stop watching the door. "Just...scared, still."  
"What did they do to you?"  
She was silent for a minute. She didn't really want to elaborate, but she knew that talking would help. It typically helped Eugene after a nightmare, after all. "They beat me and whipped me. Cut me if I didn't look at them...I tried to escape but they caught me."  
Eugene squeezed his eyes shut. The captors had been captured but not killed yet - they were kept in a holding cell together until Rapunzel could identify them and decide if they'd captured all of them. He'd like to go to the prison and bludgeon them to death, but that wouldn't help anything, and it would be out of cold blood. "I'm so sorry," he whispered.  
"It's not your fault," her voice cracked. "And thank you for saving me and for knowing where to look and-"  
"It kind of is my fault, though," he said. "They were all people from my past."  
"Priscilla too?" she asked.  
"No, not Priscilla. Everyone else, though. She was the odd one out of the bunch."  
"Just bloodlust and possibly delusional or something."  
"Uh-huh," he was silent for a minute or two, but then spoke up again. "I don't want to keep you up, but I just want to tell you that you're treasured and loved so incredibly much. I thought I'd never get to tell you."  
For some reason, this caused her throat to tighten. If she would've had enough liquids in her system, she would've been tearing up, no doubt. "I love you," she choked. It seemed pathetic in comparison.  
But all he cared about was the tone in which she'd said it. "You okay? What's wrong?"  
She pressed her eyes shut. "You treat us so well...all of us...and I know a lot of women and kids don't get such wonderful husbands and...and you're so kind to us and..." she trailed off and decided her tired, befuddled brain had forced that out. She meant it and thought it, yes, but only when she was exhausted would she spit that out. She was somewhat embarrassed to bring it up for some reason.

He was quiet for a few minutes once more, and she thought he'd gone to sleep, but then he spoke up. "Well, you've been a role model of sorts to me." she felt his hand on her shoulder, so she finally opened her eyes and turned them towards him. He smiled in the darkness and then settled a featherlight kiss on her cheek. "I love you. Sleep tight and if you can't, wake me, okay?" he tucked the blanket up underneath her chin and stroked her hair.  
"Okay. I love you too. Sleep tight," she buried her face under the blanket a moment, trying to focus on Eugene's hand running through her hair or the warmth of the cozy bed as opposed to the door. It seemed to loom, just waiting to spit more villains out to hurt her. She knew it was completely and hopelessly silly of her, but she couldn't help it. She eventually gave up and stared at the door until her eyes simply couldn't stay open any longer - far after Eugene's breathing had signaled his slumber and he'd tightened his arms around her in his sleep, nuzzling his nose into her shoulder and mumbling her name in his sleep.


	58. Chapter 58: Cocoa and Deep Discussion

The next morning couldn't come too soon for Rapunzel. She was anxious to see her kiddos and didn't like the darkness. She never had - darkness brought loneliness in the tower when she was younger, but the whole ordeal hadn't helped anything. Six AM came around fairly quickly, and she was running on precisely four hours of sleep when she finally gave up on rest, staring at the door once more. She didn't know what she was expecting to come through the door. Logic told her that the culprits were in the prison now and wouldn't take her away again, but fear often overrides logic.  
Eugene stirred and then rolled over, giving a pleased hum and hugging her close with gentle arms as soon as he saw her. "Morning, beautiful girl."  
She let her mouth turn into a faint smile. _Good, he's up, _she thought.  
"Morning," she turned, making sure to remain in his arms, and kissed him. "Sleep well?"  
"Mhm. How about you?" he smiled at her, but she could see the concern in his eyes.  
"Pretty well," she nodded. It _was _half-true, anyway. She'd gotten better sleep than she'd been able to at the tower, after all.  
"Good," he smoothed her hair back, tucking it gently behind her ears, "because it's a big day today. The kids probably won't let you out of their sight."  
"Maybe I won't let them out of _my _sight,"  
"And _none _of you are leaving _my _sight. I'm still shaken up about Jo," he added.  
She nodded. "Me too. I suppose we'd better get up and ready for the day, huh? If you want to get the kiddos up, I'll go see the doc and get my leg re-bandaged."  
He yawned, sitting up. "Sounds like a plan. I'll help you to his quarters-"  
The brunette shook her head. "I can manage, bud."

Once she was dressed and hobbled to the doctor's quarters, then finally to the dining hall, her parents immediately met her at the door and hugged her as if she'd just come home again.  
"I'm so happy you're back safe," the Queen exclaimed, giving her one extra squeeze that hurt her battered torso.  
"And I'm going to be a selfish, crusty old fool and steal another hug before I let you see your kids," her father teased quietly. Rapunzel smiled and slipped into his arms a few more moments before going past her parents and taking in her little family.  
Eugene was watching her, but also feeding the twins. Aisling was waiting impatiently to jump up and see her, and did so as soon as the King and Queen finally let their daughter go.  
"I love you, momma," Aisling's voice was muffled in Rapunzel's bodice as she hugged her. Rapunzel embraced her fiercely in return and stroked her long brown hair until she looked up at her with a dimpled smile, then raced to go finish her breakfast.  
"I love you too, silly goose," she laughed at her daughter's spontaneity.  
At her voice, both of the babies craned to see her. Zack's face lit in a charming grin and Jo immediately thrust her hands out, wiggling them and squalling eagerly.  
"Well, you're in for it now. They saw you," their father chuckled, letting Rapunzel perch each of them on her hips. She cuddled them and basked in the feeling of having them close again. If she was this happy to be back with her three after just a week, what had her mother felt, being away from her for eighteen years? She cast a curious glance towards her mother, who seemed to understand what she was wondering.  
Her parents gulped down their food and immediately left, stating that Rapunzel was to come to the prison and identify the prisoners after the noontime meal.

After said noontime meal, Rapunzel waited until Zack and Jo had gone to take a nap before she went to the prison. She couldn't wait to have some more downtime; she was still tired and her leg ached with every footstep. But she finally made it to the prison on the outskirts of the town square, followed by two guards who helped her walk when she needed it - despite the fact that she hated having them help her.

When she got there, six people were tied to poles in the private execution area. After their identification, they would be moved to the public execution area and then...well...quartered and hanged - a much more severe punishment technique than typical criminals receive.  
She stared at the Stabbington brothers, who looked as if they'd lost all hope. The two men and single woman from Al'vae set on avenging their war that had taken place years ago. The woman stared at the ground, and the men seemed to be conversing with one another, then one spat at a guard's boots. Finally, Priscilla. Her gray eyes met Rapunzel's from across the area and her cheeks sucked in before she took a deep breath and spat in her general direction. "Coward!" she screamed. "You're a coward! Sly little snob! Royal pain in the rear! Worthless! You're-"  
Rapunzel stood, unblinking, and took it all until Priscilla finally quieted, settling for hysterics. Rapunzel licked her lips, turned away, and hobbled off.  
"That's all of them," she told the guards, waving them off when they moved to help her. She wanted to be alone, for once.

When she got back to the castle, Aisling was in the painting room, working diligently.  
"Hi, baby girl," Rapunzel smiled, and she rushed over to help her mother to her stool. "Thank you so much. What're you working on?"  
"This," she grinned and held it out. For a coming six-year-old, she was going to be a prodigy in art, clearly. It was still childlike, obviously, but her work was impeccable for her age. "It's a meadow with those pretty lanterns in the sky. I was wondering what it would look like if the fes'val was in the daytime."  
"Wow! That's amazing, honey!" she reached to hug her and then kissed her forehead. "You have talent."  
"I wanna be just like you when I get old," she said, "so I wanna practice much as I can."  
Rapunzel grinned. "Oh, I think you're already better than me! When I was your age, my paintings weren't nearly as good. And are you saying I'm old?" she teased.  
Aisling spluttered. "Well..not..._old _like gran'mamma and papa, but, well..."  
"I know," Rapunzel laughed.  
"Did you paint your house? Like the walls. The place before you were here?" she asked, turning back to her own easel.  
Rapunzel opened some of her paint jars and stuck a brush behind her ear, propping her feet up and rubbing the tender area around the injuries to her calf. "Yes. My entire tower was painted floor-to-ceiling with murals," she said. "I had really, really long hair, so I used to hang from the rafters to paint up high. Pascal would hold my paints and brushes!"  
"I miss Pascal," Aisling mentioned. "And can I see your moorals someday?"  
Rapunzel hesitated. "Oh, they're all covered in dust and dirt and nasty stuff," she said quietly.  
"Did the bad people keep you there?"  
"How did you know that?" Rapunzel asked. Sometimes the child's dead-on questions surprised her.  
"You got really quiet and brushed my question off."  
"Oh," Rapunzel nodded, biting her lip and dipping her brush in her paint. "Well, yes...they did."  
"I bet it was really scary."  
"It was scary. I didn't know if I would ever see you again."  
"Why couldn't you get away?" Aisling's persistence and quick solutions came from reading so much - and reading adventure books at that.

"They said they'd hurt you and daddy and the twins if I didn't do what they said," Rapunzel dabbed carefully at her canvas, calming her shaking hands.  
"Oh." she was quiet for a minute, studying her own painting before stretching out another canvas. "You're my hero."  
"Pardon?"  
"You're brave, and nice, and you treat me like your own when I'm not, and you have all the same things the heroes in the books do." she grinned at Rapunzel, who was now biting back tears.  
"Well, maybe you're _my _hero, baby girl. I love knowing you're so sweet and smart, and you're really brave too - going to check up on the babies when one cried and then coming to tell us Jo was missing instead of freezing up and being scared...I'm so happy to call you my daughter, sweetie. Don't you forget it. Now c'mere!" she sniffled and held her arms out. Aisling smiled and raced over, climbing into Rapunzel's lap and cuddling up against her. Rapunzel held her like she'd never see her again - but at the crazy rate this family is going, who knows what will happen next, she mused - and didn't pull away until she heard something hit the door.

Eugene had been watching the tender mother-daughter scene, leaning against the door frame, but when he'd tried to cross one boot over the other, he'd kicked the door. He froze, a completely comical look on his face, as red flushed his face.  
Laughing, Rapunzel met his eyes. "Serves you for eavesdropping!"  
"Hey. Just witnessing a mother-daughter moment. You've seen plenty father-daughter moments, and I didn't tease you about it! I was wondering where everyone went to."  
"Daddy! See my new painting!" Aisling was un-phased by this intrusion and scrambled from Rapunzel's lap to show him the drying canvas.

That night, Rapunzel peeled the bandage from her cheek and touched the shallow cuts gingerly. "Do you think they'll scar?"  
Eugene peered at the cheek a moment. "I don't think they will. Don't worry," he winked, kissing the tip of her nose.  
"I'm not, I'm just...well...maybe." she dabbed cream on her hands and rubbed it into her thirsty flesh.  
When they headed to bed, Rapunzel wasn't ready to sleep and neither was Eugene. Her legs ached from the long time spent cooped up in the tower and then the sudden physical activity of riding home and walking so much, and she was still nervous, despite the fact that all of the captors had met their Maker earlier that day. After too much idle chat, Eugene threw the blanket back and padded over to her side of the bed in his bare feet, holding his hands out to her. "C'mon. We just got some more powdered Dutch chocolate. I can whip up some hot chocolate for us," he offered. "We can talk about a few things while we drink it and maybe it'll make us sleepy."  
"I'm all for it," Rapunzel said, taking his hands and getting out of bed. She hobbled out of the room stiffly, relieved to have the light of the candles they carried. 

In the kitchen, she sat on the edge of a counter and watched as Eugene bustled about like some sort of professional chef. He built a small fire to heat water, then got two teacups, mixing the brown powder briskly into the hot water he'd poured. She watched as he ducked to rummage in the chest that ice chips were kept, and then he pulled out a glass pitcher of milk, mixing this in and finally topping with a heavy cream from the goats.  
"M'lady, your beverage," he bowed teasingly, holding it out to her.  
Rapunzel laughed quietly, ignoring the twinge in her bruised ribcage. "Thank you, dear sir." she scooted over on the heavy wooden counter, and he perched up on the corner, watching Rapunzel sip her hot chocolate more so than drinking his. She finally noticed this and looked at him sheepishly from over the edge of her cup. "What?"  
"Nothing," he couldn't possibly hide the adoration in his eyes, though, so she reached to give him a sticky kiss on the cheek before returning her gaze to the cup, letting her tongue flick over the lip of it and cleaning off the chocolate that remained on it.  
Eugene took a loud slurp from his cup and cleared his throat. "So how did things go today?"  
Rapunzel set her cup down in her lap, letting her fingers encircle it despite its warmness. "It went okay. Priscilla flipped out when she saw me, but nobody else seemed to care. I feel terrible that they had to die, but...I'm glad to know they won't be able to harm the kids or you or my parents."  
He nodded. "You're probably feeling somewhat like what I feel when I go to war. You do what you have to do, but you don't like it."  
Rapunzel nibbled her lip, chewing over that thought for a moment before sipping some more from her cup, letting the warm, smooth sweetness coat her throat that threatened to squeeze shut and choke on regret and tears.  
"Yeah," she said quietly.  
"Therefore, I'm here for you. I hope you already know that, though," he mentioned.

"I do," she nodded and blinked a few times before taking a shaky breath. "I-I have to tell you something."  
"Mhm?"  
"I was about a month or two pregnant when they took me and-and I miscarried when I was there. I didn't tell you or anyone else that I was expecting. It wasn't because they abused me...it was before they started. I'm sorry."  
This hit Eugene pretty hard. He wasn't sure what to think first: should he wonder why she didn't tell him, should he be mad at the captors; should he really be relieved because he'd been so scared of a disaster during delivery when she'd had the twins? He just pulled her into a hug. "I'm sorry, sweet girl of mine. I'm really, really sorry, and I hate that you had to go through that again..and alone."  
"And when they knew," she pulled away and rubbed her nose, "they started saying I was useless and you'd be happy I was gone. The Stabbingtons said, rather. Then they took me to the stairwell."  
He brought her right back into the hug, shaking his head. "They don't know anything. They don't know anything at all. Your struggle with childbearing doesn't bother me in the least, honey, I promise you. I'm happy we were blessed with the opportunity to adopt children."  
"I know. I'm fine with adoption and I'm happy that we get to, but it's just such a neat feeling, knowing the perfect blend of you and I is growing and will have similar traits, behaviors..you know."  
"I know. But we were blessed once with two little ones of our own, and I suppose we should be content with that."  
She pulled away and nodded. "Yeah," she licked her lips and took a sip at her drink, which was growing cold. "And I've nothing against adoption. I'm glad we adopted our little Rose."  
"Me too. She's growing up too fast," he nodded and stared down at his cup before gulping some down.  
"Way too fast. In about seven years, she'll be marrying age,"  
"Oh hush up!" Eugene nudged her teasingly.  
She giggled and nudged him back. "I'm not excited or anything, I'm stating mere fact, honey."

"Fact is that time needs to slow down. Speaking of which, it's your twenty-sixth birthday next week. Think you'll be up to a day out by then?"  
"I forgot all about my birthday, to be honest. But I'd be happy to. I should be okay by then," she looked down at her toes, wiggling them before downing the last of her hot chocolate. "That was really good. Thank you."  
"What I can't believe is we've known each other for eight years. And married for six of them."  
"Mmhm. But I'm glad,"  
"Me too," he grinned, setting his cup aside so he could pull her into a soft kiss.  
When she pulled away, she sighed; watching his eyes for a moment before letting her gaze drop to the candles beside them. "How long do you think it'll be 'til I stop being nervous and too scared to sleep?"  
"You're bouncing back fast. You're resilient, as always. You'll be over it soon," he stroked her cheek with his thumb for a moment.  
"I hope so."  
"I hope so, too," he yawned. "Since we were on the topic of kids earlier, what'cha say if we go to the orphanage, get the paperwork in order again in a couple of weeks? Do you think you'd be ready after the miscarriage? We wouldn't adopt straight away, of course, just get the papers in order."  
She nibbled her lips for a minute. She was severely disappointed in her second miscarriage, but she also knew that there was no use lamenting and being depressed. It was a fact of her life. Maybe it would be a fact of Johanna's life, too, she thought with a sudden pang. Maybe it was awful of her to want another biological child, since the girls would likely carry the same problems she, her mother, and her mother's mother before her had. She voiced this all to Eugene.  
He nodded, his eyes growing wide and sad at the same time. "I never thought about Jo having problems with childbearing when she comes of age," he murmured.  
"I didn't either, really. But we'll make sure she knows and understands when the time comes."  
"Yep," he nodded. "Switching the topic on purpose so we don't start worrying and getting sad or anything, what are we going to adopt? Boy or girl?"  
"Whoever seems to fit," she said. "Just like Aisling."  
He nodded and grinned. "Okay."

They talked for a little while longer, until Rapunzel was nearly ready to fall asleep right then and there. Rapunzel finally realized that Eugene had been tired all along, and had stayed up just for her. Back in bed, she curled up facing the door - she couldn't keep herself from doing so - and he put an arm across her. Instead of the befuddled state she'd been in last night in which nothing felt safe, she yawned and wriggled close up against him, wondering how just his presence made her feel okay. He chuckled softly and readjusted his arms to hold her close, nuzzling her hair. "Love you."  
"I love you too. And thanks,"  
"For..?"  
"Staying up with me. I know you were tired."  
"It was my pleasure, beautiful."


	59. Chapter 59: Termites

**Thanks for your reviews/favorites/follows, guys! You're all so great!  
This chapter was suggested by a Guest reviewer. Thanks for the suggestion, by the way, if you're reading!**

* * *

Termites.  
Bloody freakin' termites.  
When Eugene woke up with a start to a loud, very unmanly bellow coming from several doors down, he knew it wasn't going to be a good day, but termites. _Really_?! This was a castle that housed the _royal family of Corona._ Couldn't the little suckers face criminal charges for that?  
He'd bolted out of bed quite awkwardly, hobbling on one foot that was still asleep, and had practically broken the door off its hinges. That had been his infantry training, after all - when someone's in trouble, you respond _NOW. _Rapunzel was left floundering in his wake, padding after him in her robe and bare feet.

"What's going on?"  
The King's face was flushed as he stood up from where he crouched. He held up a hunk of wood and it crumbled in his hands onto the floor.  
"We've got an infestation on our hands."  
Eugene almost strode out to resume sleeping.  
"Termites?" he asked, striding over and kneeling so he could investigate the wall. "How'd they even get in here? The castle's made out of stone, right?"  
"And wood," he admitted.  
"Termites?" Rapunzel echoed Eugene's question. She had yet to learn about the little beasts.  
"C'mere," Eugene sighed. She came over and peered down at the base of the wooden wall, which was seemingly crumbling away. "See those little black dots running around?"  
"Yeah. You're saying those things did all that damage?"  
"Yup." Eugene glanced up at his father and law and seized the opportunity to tease. "Surely those little buggers weren't the things that caused that scream. Where's the rat, the cockroach, the-"  
"Alright, son, before I revoke your title as prince consort..." the King warned warily. "Enough."

Eugene stood up, wiping his hands on his pajama bottoms. "I can fix this up. We'll have to find if they're anywhere else in the castle, though."  
The King groaned. "After all these years..."  
"...and they wait 'til you have a handy-dandy carpenter guy married into the family, who will repair it for free," Eugene finished.

That morning, any King/Queen training was put on hiatus. Rapunzel tried to mask her excitement for _that _while she helped an extremely pregnant Emilie with chores and played with Jo and Zack, who were starting to walk and talk. They'd just celebrated their first birthdays yesterday.

And as for Eugene and the King, who insisted on learning how to work with wood, they got down to business. The King got a supply of wood, nails, and two hammers, and Eugene started cutting and prying away the damaged, infested wood. The dirty critters were quickly swept up and disposed of. The King promptly took buckets of infested wood outside to be burnt; it's safe to say he had a strong aversion to the bugs.  
When cleanup was finished in the King and Queen's room, as well as several other rooms throughout the castle, it was time to start working in earnest.

The King didn't even know how to hold a hammer.  
"I feel very uneducated at this point in time," he chuckled as Eugene fought back a snarky comment. How could the King of Corona, who had practically infinite power over the country, not know how to hold a hammer?  
"Here," Eugene demonstrated how to pound in a nail, and after a few attempts and a few boards that were now permanently scarred - _literally_ \- , he got one small board in place. "And that's how it's done. Only five more sections in this room left to take care of."  
"_Only_," the King grumped, stuffing some more nails between his lips before setting another nail.  
"Oh, it's not so bad," Eugene said. He was actually enjoying the work; he hadn't done anything with wood in ages.  
"You sound like my daughter," he commented around the nails, pounding clumsily at the one in the wall.  
Eugene couldn't hide a grin. "Well, when you're around someone for eight years, they start to rub off on you. Here, now just make sure the head of the nail's pounded in enough that it won't catch on anything or anyone. There you go."  
James moved on to the next one, spitting his nails out to respond. "I suppose. Actually, I _know._ Are you planning anything for her birthday, or are you just going to take it easy and stay here?"  
Eugene shrugged, watching him pound the nail in a little bit neater. "I have some ideas, but I'll wait to see how she is on her birthday. She's still kind of sore from when she was...you know...taken captive."  
The older man nodded, almost grimacing at the mere mention of the event. "Understandably so. If it weren't for law, I would've...well...never mind."  
"Torn them all limb from limb and then set the remains on fire?" Eugene supplied.  
The King stopped what he was doing to look at Eugene with surprise, his blue eyes widening under his bushy eyebrows. "Or something to that effect," he said.  
Eugene cleared his throat and nodded. "Maybe that was a little overboard, but...I don't know what I would have done if she-" he broke off and shook his head, setting another board in place and holding it for the King to start nailing into place.  
"I know," he nodded, his eyes trained on the nail. "I know all too well."

Eugene nodded too, but was silent after that until the rest of the wood had been put into place. Sitting back on his heels, Eugene scrutinized the work. "It'll need painted to match the rest of the wall, as will all the other spots in the other rooms, but other than that, it should be good. Maybe put some kind of repellant like peppermint or orange peels; marigolds, something, around the castle to deter them. Not sure if those repellants will work, but it's worth a try. Now, to the supply room."  
The King stood up and pressed his hand into his lower back. "Whew. If you don't mind, I think I'll get out of your hair and let you work on the rest of the rooms. My back isn't what it used to be, when I was fifteen or so."  
Eugene laughed. "I suppose it isn't. Well, you can add 'woodworking' to your list of things you know how to do. Right?"  
"I suppose. Thank you for being patient with me. I know you wanted to laugh when I couldn't figure out how to use the hammer."  
"I, well,..." Eugene trailed off and passed a hand through his hair, biting the inside of his cheek to keep from blurting the truth out. Where had his lying skills gone?  
Probably out of the tower window, just like Gothel.  
The King clapped a hand on the tall man's shoulder, the glint in his eye telling Eugene that he knew what had almost slipped out. "Okay. Well, I'll leave the rest of that to you. I thank you for repairing the rooms. And you need to teach that son of yours about woodworking sometime when he's old enough. He seems really interested in building things already."  
"You're welcome," Eugene nodded and grinned. "And don't I know it...I'm not looking forward to when he gets older. He's going to be a holy terror. Just like I was. I think Jo takes after her mum more than me, luckily."  
The King chuckled. "Oh, I bet. I'll be in the office room if you need any assistance."

Eugene had gone to the supply room and had just crouched down to get to work when he heard the door open, and then a skinny-armed little soul threw herself onto his back, clutching her arms around his neck and giggling.  
"I'm done with my tutoring, daddy!" she craned her neck so Eugene could see her face. "What're you doing?"  
"Fixing these termite problems. How were your sessions today?"  
"Okay, as always." she shrugged and grinned.  
"That's good. Do you want to help me?"  
Her grin split into a full-force beaming smile. She nodded eagerly and removed herself from her father's back, crouching beside him and watching with wide, sponge-like brown eyes that absorbed every detail.


	60. Chapter 60: Gardening

Rapunzel and her mother declared a 'mother/daughter' day a week after her birthday so that they could work in the garden together. The Queen's shipment of flowers from France had arrived, so it was imperative that they get planted before they became root-bound and died.  
And so, while Eugene went over some things with the King, Rapunzel brought the twins outside, spread a blanket on the grass, and let them play outside while she and her mother worked.  
The Queen knelt carefully in the dirt, wearing the old, soiled dress she wore while in the garden. Rapunzel plopped down beside her, taking up a trowel and poking at the ground.  
"The ground's a bit dry," she observed.  
"Certainly is; we haven't had much rain this year. And oh, dear, why don't you go in and change? You'll mess that dress all up!"  
Rapunzel glanced down at the pink dress she wore and then shrugged. "It's been a bit tight since I had the twins, anyway." She was never overly concerned about keeping her outfits in pristine condition, and was in her bare feet even now.  
Her mother shook her head and chuckled. "You're the least girly princess I think I have ever seen. And that's just fine and dandy."  
Rapunzel grinned, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Where should we put the marigolds?"

The Queen gestured. "Along this row of stone. Then we'll put the creeping phlox above it. We'll put the impatiens in the pots like we did last year. The weeping willow tree will go in the corner there; someday it'll give the children some shade while you work out here. But one of the men will have to dig a hole for it later," she said.  
"Okay," Rapunzel nodded, and they got down to work.  
Zack, who was just starting to walk, toddled clumsily towards them, leaving his sister on the blanket nearby. When he stumbled unsteadily and fell on his soft brown pants, he crawled over and then sat up, giving Rapunzel a charming smile and clapping his hands.  
"Hey you," Rapunzel laughed. She finished patting the ground around a marigold and then reached to pull him onto her lap. "What's up, buddy?"  
The child grinned endearingly at her, only to bat at her hand and yowl when she used the hem of her skirt to wipe his slobbery mouth. She tsked her tongue and told him that he would regret it if she didn't wipe his mouth and it ended up getting chapped...adding a sound kiss on the cheek for good measure.  
The Queen smiled. "He's definitely his father's child. But those big eyes are undeniably yours."  
"Don't I know it," Rapunzel laughed. A moment later, a whimper came from the blanket, so she stood up with Zack and scooped Jo up into her other arm. She was still small and slightly behind her brother. "And we mustn't exclude you, darling!" Jo grinned and buried her face in Rapunzel's shoulder.

It was a bit of a challenge to garden with the twins. Zack wanted to get into the dirt and Jo was set on plucking the petals from the flowers. Rapunzel found a stick for Zack and plucked an impatiens flower for Jo and let them play beside her as she potted some of the impatiens. He diligently dragged the stick back and forth on the ground, while his sister pulled petals apart and tossed them, babbling quietly.  
"They're something else," Rapunzel grinned and said to her mother. "All three of them, actually."  
"Definitely. Are you two planning on, you know, expanding your family?" her mother asked.  
"Maybe," Rapunzel shrugged and cleared her throat. "We've been talking about going to get adoption papers authorized again."  
She nodded. "And how big of a family do you two want?"  
Rapunzel looked at her in mild surprise. She wasn't used to her mother asking a ton of questions. "Well...we haven't really discussed it, but we both agree we want a large family. Why?"  
"Oh, I'm just being a nosy old woman," the Queen laughed quietly.  
"Ah," Rapunzel laughed as well, almost forcing it. Her mother wasn't typically that way. Had Eugene told her about the miscarriage? "Did you talk to Eugene?"  
"About what?"  
"Um...kids," she cleared her throat. She didn't want to go into detail if her mother didn't know.  
The Queen shook her head. "No, dear. That's why I'm asking _you_!"  
Rapunzel nodded, hiding a relieved sigh. "Okay. Well, I suppose we won't even know what size our family will be until, well, we decide. Is there some sort of limit as to how many kids a royal family can have?" She thought it would be an absolutely absurd rule if there was one, but it couldn't hurt to ask.  
Her mother set down the trowel and laughed. "Oh darling, of course not! That's hilarious."  
Rapunzel laughed. "I agree. Now, where do you want these pots taken to?"  
"Back right to where they sat last year," she nodded, and Rapunzel scooped Jo up in one arm, carrying her and one small terracotta pot.

Yes, Rapunzel could have taken two pots at a time instead of taking one pot and one child back and forth _fifteen times_ across the garden area, but she didn't mind it. Jo was sleepy and by the tenth trip, fell asleep up against her shoulder, and she didn't want to wake her by laying her down on the blanket.  
However, when she walking, carrying a pot and a baby, and looking to the side to see exactly where Zack was...she almost screamed when she rammed into something. Some_one _would be the correct term, of course; and none other than Eugene, naturally. She swallowed the scream that bubbled up in her throat, gasping instead as the terracotta rim almost slipped from her slender fingers. Thinking fast, Eugene grabbed the orange pot away from her and grinned.  
"I still have my skills in stealth, I see," he teased quietly.  
She tsked her tongue, but giggled quietly when he kissed her cheek. "You're dreadful."  
"I know. Do you want me to take this sleeping beauty?"  
"Mm..." she nibbled her lip. "I don't want to wake her. She just fell asleep."  
"Okay. Well, show me where the pots go, then, and I'll help you finish up," he whispered.  
Rapunzel did, and soon the pots were back where they were supposed to go. Her mother, after putting away the trowels and gathering up the small burlap strips that had enclosed the plants, had gone back inside the castle to clean up.  
"They're going to have someone from Denmark for tea in the afternoon," Rapunzel said. "Do you want to stay out here awhile?"  
Eugene's eyes widened and he nodded. "Yes please."  
She bit back a giggle, easing Johanna gently down on the blanket and setting a hand over her tiny chest until she was sure she wouldn't wake. Zack had already crashed, his thumb in his mouth and the other hand still clinging to the stick Rapunzel had given him earlier.  
"How will we possibly run a kingdom? We both hate meetings."  
"_Tea. _There's a difference. I don't like the idle chatter involved with tea. Meetings, now...I'm okay. Sort of." he grinned.  
"Okay, smarty," she pretended to be annoyed, but gave him a quick kiss just because.

"What's on the agenda for tomorrow?" he asked.  
"Oh..." she bit her lip. "I think the Denmark people are staying overnight, so there'll be more teas tomorrow. Nobody told me I had to be present, though," a mischievous glint appeared in her eyes.  
Eugene caught it and bit back a laugh. "Hmm..maybe I'm rubbing off a bit on you. Well, why don't we see about going to the orphanage to discuss adoption papers?"  
She nodded. "We've been talking about it; why not just get it over with?"  
"Yup," he stretched and flopped onto his back on the grass. "So there you go. We have plans, we couldn't possibly go to tea tomorrow."  
She shook her head and grinned.


	61. Chapter 61:On Orphans and Summer Breezes

Mrs. Brigsly met them at the door of the orphanage, and she was in a very harried state.  
"Oh, thank _goodness_ you stopped by today, my lady! Oh, you too, Eugene, thank heavens. We've got three babies dropped off and one older boy coming back because he's not doing his work and we need to rearrange the furniture and oh I don't know how we'll get them all squeezed in-" she pushed a nosy child away from the door while she beckoned them to come in.  
Rapunzel laughed, picking up the child. "Dear Mrs. Brigsly, take a deep breath or two! It certainly isn't that bad!"  
"Oh it is, it _is_!" she flagged down a lanky boy. "Ralph! You and Eugene can start moving the furniture. _You _will help me, Jenny, and Claire keep the kids outta the way. That work, deary?"  
"Yes, Mrs. Brigsly," Rapunzel nodded. "And after all this is taken care of, could Eugene and I maybe talk to you about renewing adoption applications?"  
Her face lit up and she straightened her gray bun. "Oh, yes - yes please! Definitely. Later!"

The group of females went to one end of the orphanage and gathered all twenty-three kids around so they would stay out of the way. Rapunzel held a toddler on her hip and a baby in one arm, while talking to one older girl that was about eight. Jenny ran about picking up toys and linens that would get in the way of the men and the furniture, and Claire and Mrs. Brigsly kept the kids corralled.  
"What's the story of the three babies that were dropped off today?" Rapunzel asked. She knew she was holding one of them; Claire had told her.  
"Mia, Mya, and Mila - their mothers had all three of 'em a few days ago and didn't want 'em. Dropped the poor things off in milk cartons, of all things. Better'n drowning them, but truly!" the woman huffed.  
"Poor dears. Has it been crazy busy around here as of late?" she grinned and kissed the baby's nose when she saw it watching her intently with gray eyes.  
Claire cackled. "Busy is an understatement! Goodness."  
"Sorry," Rapunzel nearly grimaced. "Sorry for not coming to help. It's been insanely busy at home with the kids, training, Eugene going to and returning from the war and recovering from that, and me getting abducted to boot!"  
Jenny waved it off with a linen. "You're the princess, you shouldn't even be here volunteering!"  
"But I enjoy it," she turned her attention to the toddler she held, who was falling asleep. "What about the little boy you said was coming back?"  
"Walter-" Claire started.  
"Walt's coming back _again_?" one boy asked loudly.  
"Yes, Walter's coming back. Again." she laughed and turned her attention back to Rapunzel. "He's not lazy, really. He loves helping and will do _anything _to gain your approval, but lately he's been daydreaming and reading too much. Doing that instead of his work, y'know. The last two homes abused him badly and he ran away, but this one's returning him. He's probably been beaten pretty good there, too, but that's beside the point and it happens. Maybe someday he'll learn to stop dreaming and worrying about books. It won't get you anywhere, after all!" Claire finished harshly.

Rapunzel bit her lip. She didn't think the child should have been abused - yes, discipline is a good thing, but abuse over dreaming? - and she thought that literacy and dreams were two things that got you _anywhere_, but she didn't bring it up. "Poor kid."

"And he probably wants to come back to his sis. Y'see, his mother brought him when he was about a year old because of some unknown circumstances involving her husband. She came back a month ago this year with a baby girl this time. Said she'd just had her and wouldn't dare keep it because it was a girl. Walt finally met his mother for the first time and when he knew the baby she brought was his sister, he made it his life mission to make her feel wanted." Mrs. Brigsly added.  
"How old is he?" Rapunzel asked.  
"Oh, lemme think. Six, I think," she said.  
"Huh," Rapunzel nodded and dropped the subject when another baby, still in its cradle, started wailing.

In the middle of all the chaos, a loud banging came to the door. Mrs. Brigsly pushed through the mess and opened the door. A young boy was propelled inside, and the door slammed shut with Mrs. Brigsly on the outside. Rapunzel could hear yelling, even inside with the loud ruckus. She immediately gestured to Jenny, who took the children from her arms, and she wormed her way through to see the child.  
"Are you Walter?" she knelt and asked. The little boy was frail; his dirty red hair fell over his freckled face and his brown eyes were trained on the floor. Welts and a little blood coated his arms, and he had a black eye.  
"Yeah," he shrugged his shoulders up to his ears when she reached to examine his arms. "Whip cut me up."  
"Oh, I'm so sorry, buddy," she said, horrified. She scooped him up and wormed her way through to the kitchen, where she found a rag and a basin full of lukewarm water. "Let me wash that up. Why did they beat you so?"  
"I'm a good-fer-nothin-brat," he said, staring at his lap. Rapunzel finished wiping his arms and immediately tipped his chin up so he'd look at her. He met her gaze fearfully.  
"I can guarantee you _are _good for something and you aren't a brat. You just like to read, maybe get sidetracked thinking. Right?"  
"How did you know?" he asked warily.  
"The ladies told me earlier," she said. "It's okay. I do that too."  
"You do?" he asked.  
"Mmhmm." she set him down off of the table. "Now, if you'll skedaddle over there, I think your sister's probably waiting - if you can find her!"  
He nodded wordlessly and instead of running like Aisling would have, he limped over.

After the orphanage rooms were rearranged and enough beds were put out, the couple signed documents once more, which would be authorized and accepted just like last time. And just like last time, they would get word back by the next day. When they left the building at around noon, Rapunzel took a deep breath.  
"Whew. Well, that was a busy morning!" she laughed.  
"Yup. I remember that happening once or twice when I was there. Never fun, especially if you want to help and get batted away and told to mind your business." he grinned slowly. "Of course, then I'd get mad and get in their way on purpose."  
Swatting his arm playfully, Rapunzel laughed. "You were terrible!"  
"I know I was. Now, I talked with Emilie and she was okay with watching the twins all day today, if the King and Queen couldn't because of playing tea party with-sorry, sorry...but you know I'm not wrong-ow!" he laughed and jumped away from Rapunzel, who was swatting him teasingly.  
"I did _not _hurt you. Continue."  
"_So_, if you'd stop bullying me..." he teased, "we have the day to ourselves. First one in a _long_ time." 

Rapunzel's eyes widened. They hadn't been on a walk together in ages! She immediately reached to hug him. "Oh, I'm so excited! It's not that I don't mind being around the kids all the time, but we haven't had a day to ourselves in forever and we haven't gone on the trail in even longer!"  
"That's what I've been thinking. We'll stop for lunch at Attilla's first, though."  
"Where else could we possibly go?" Rapunzel asked, excited to see her friends.

At the bakery, they enjoyed a very sugary lunch, tea with ice chips in it - imagine the possibilities of _that_! - and a chat with some old friends.  
(And by lunch, it was actually just pastries with a slab of meat thrown on the side of the plate. Maybe they needed to work on the menu a bit.)  
Rapunzel gave Hook-Hand and Attilla kisses on the cheeks for giving them lunch on the house, and then they left about an hour after they came.

Eugene watched his girl as they walked on the trail. Each wildflower's scent seemed to clamor for undivided attention, and he bit back a sneeze. Who had time to shut their eyes and sneeze when you have a girl, rapt with awe, to watch? Her eyes were sparkling for the first time in, gosh, for the first time all year, it seemed. _So much has happened this year, no wonder;_ he thought guiltily. Maybe he should've made a point to do this earlier.  
Rapunzel was too busy taking in the scenery to notice her husband's adoration. She studied each wildflower, deciding to work on a painting tomorrow. Aisling might even help! She took a deep breath and enjoyed the thick, flowery scent the warm breeze carried. She'd never get over the feeling of a sweet summer breeze; the way it called to her just like it had called her when she first stepped outside of her tower.  
Suddenly energized, she glanced back at Eugene and grinned. "Race you to our tree!"  
Caught off guard, he barely heard her before she was off running.  
"Hey-wait up-I wasn't ready-_geez, _you're fast!" he cried, tripping over weeds and running haphazardly to catch up with her. If the path had been dirt instead of grass, there would've been a dust cloud left by the girl.

Rapunzel beat him, of course, and stopped, breathing heavily and regarding the tree in front of her. It was a good climbing tree; she'd climbed it a couple of times when she was younger. Looking back over her shoulder, she still couldn't see Eugene. Glancing back towards the tree, she scrambled up into it, deciding today would be a good day to prank her husband.

When Eugene came into the clearing with the lone tree, he looked around. "Rapunzel?"  
She watched him from her perch in the tree - or at least, tried to. She couldn't exactly see, so she crawled out on a limb, clinging to the thin branch carefully. It swayed under her weight and bent a little, and she gulped back a squeak of surprise. She found her balance and turned her head slowly to look back in Eugene's direction. His face was clouded with confusion, but then he laughed, assuming he'd actually beaten her. He strode over and leaned up against the tree, panting. He didn't look up, or he would've seen her.

She loosened her grip on the branch, trying to keep from laughing at his obliviousness. And then she slid around upside-down on the tree limb.  
She clung to it like a sloth and let a muffled squeak of terror escape her lips as she hugged the limb frantically. Eugene finally looked up and laughed.  
"There you are! Get yourself into a predicament?"  
"Help," she didn't look over her shoulder to see him, afraid she'd fall.  
"Just let yourself drop. I'll catch you," she could hear he was holding back a laugh.  
"You'll drop me, and if you don't drop me, I'll hurt you somehow!"  
He let himself laugh this time. "I won't drop you, and you're light as a feather. How could a feather hurt me? C'mon." Dubiously, she unwrapped her legs and arms from the tree limb, gasping when he did indeed catch her. Stumbling forward a few steps, he regained his own balance before setting her down. "See? Light as a feather. If I didn't worry about you getting hurt, now, I would've let you fall, but..." he grinned when she tsked her tongue.  
"Well, thank you. I think,"  
"You're welcome," he chuckled. "So Blondie...you beat me, I take it."  
"Mmhmmm. By a few minutes, at least," she clarified.  
He plucked a leaf out of her hair. "Of course you did. You're awesome."

That got an embarrassed giggle out of her. "No I'm not."  
He grinned and impulsively bent to kiss her. She squeaked in surprise, but then put her arms around him and melted. He grinned and started to pull away, but she immediately brought him back into the kiss, swinging up on tiptoe to do so. When their lips parted, she gave him a dazzled smile, her face positively beet red. "What made you do that?"  
He laughed quietly, settling his arms around her waist and losing himself in her sparkling green eyes. "You. Because you drive me crazy and I'm so happy to see you carefree and silly again."  
She considered that for a moment and then buried her face in his vest to hide her widening smile. "Love you," she said, her voice muffled.  
Her actions were only more endearing to him. He tightened his arms around her and wondered how he'd ever ended up with a girl like her. "I love you too, Miss Embarrassed Princess."  
"I'm not embarrassed," she looked up at him and protested, her face ever redder to prove his point.  
"Hm. If you say so," he smiled and kissed her forehead before letting go of her. "Continue the walk in the woods, my dear lady?" he stepped away and bowed, offering her his arm.  
Laughing, she looped her arm through his. "But of course, kind sir. Let us go forth!"

When they came back to the castle for a very late (and cold) supper, Emilie filled them in on the children's day. Rapunzel thanked her profusely, as did Eugene, and as soon as they set foot in the sitting-room after supper, Aisling ran to see them.  
"Did you miss us today?" Rapunzel laughed, hugging her before letting her go to her father.  
"Yes, momma!" she exclaimed, displaying her dimpled grin. "I was reading to the twins. Can you finish reading, daddy?"  
"Lemme think...hmm...maybe not tonight, sweetie," he said, faking a yawn. Of course he'd read to them - he did every night - but he could still tease.  
"Daddy...!" Aisling gave him a pout, and he laughed.  
"You're still not familiar with my teasing strategies, are you, sweetie?" he picked her up and tucked a long brown lock of hair behind her ear, kissing her cheek and then threatening to blow raspberries on her stomach. Yelping at his threat, she play-wrestled him until they got to the couch, where she'd dropped the book of fairytales.  
She squeezed between Eugene and the arm of the chair, snuggling up against him and watching the pages with eyes that went from sparkling interest to dim sleepiness. Rapunzel picked up both Jo and Zack, who were too sleepy to care that they were home. Zack snuggled up against her shoulder and fell asleep, while Jo preferred to remain cradled in Rapunzel's arm. After a very short amount of time, Aisling dozed off as well. Eugene set the book down carefully, encircling Aisling with one arm and Rapunzel with the other.  
He grinned, gesturing with his eyes - if one could do so - towards Aisling, and Rapunzel nodded with a sleepy smile herself.  
"Tuckered out," she murmured.  
"I think everyone's tuckered out," he nodded in agreement, noting her parents' absence. Emilie had told them they had gone to bed early, faced with a busy day of coronation ceremony invitation-writing tomorrow.

No more than three minutes had passed before Rapunzel's head drooped up against his shoulder, so he chuckled and slowly stood up, carrying Aisling to her bed. He slid her stuffed animal under her arm, and she hugged it, sighing happily in her sleep. Next, he took the twins and tucked them into bed with their own stuffed pets. Finally, he scooped Rapunzel up and carried _her _to bed as well. If he could make it without faceplanting on the floor and sleeping right there, he'd be lucky!


	62. Chapter 62: Walter and Megan (p1)

Two weeks later, Rapunzel and Eugene revisited the orphanage. Aisling accompanied them, and they weren't altogether expecting a mini-crisis. But truly, who _can_ expect a mini- crisis to happen?

Claire met them at the door, wide-eyed and frantic. "Walter's gone and he took Megan!"  
"Who's Megan?" Rapunzel asked. Claire didn't hear her the first time, and was frantic, so Rapunzel grabbed her shoulders and made her focus. "Who's Megan and why did he run away?"  
"I-I-I don't know, but he was supposed to go up to France to one of their orphanages because we're full up. We weren't going to send Megan and-and he was mad and...it's his little baby sister!"  
Rapunzel sucked in a deep breath. "Okay. Claire-"  
Eugene broke into the conversation. "Where do his parents live?"  
"It doesn't matter-"  
"If he tried to go back, it might."  
Claire licked her lips. "Uh...oh, on the outskirts in that direction," she gestured. "I don't know when he left, he was here this morning but now he isn't and-"  
"It's okay, Claire! We'll go see if we can find him. Won't we, Eugene?" he nodded, and the trio soon left, heading east.

Aisling hopped along quickly to keep up. "Why'd that person run away?"  
"Oh, sweetie, he's been treated poorly and now he's going to be separated from his sister, and he's..." Rapunzel trailed off.  
"He's desperate to get away from it all," he said. "Remember that one fairytale I read to you about the girl that was sent away for her own good?"  
"She wanted to go back," Aisling nodded.  
"Exactly. But in this case, he wasn't sent away for his own good, really."  
"Because nobody wants him?"  
Rapunzel and Eugene both paused. "Well..." Rapunzel paused.  
"Nobody that's taken care of him, let's just say it that way," Eugene finally answered.  
"Oh," Aisling nodded and fell quiet for a few minutes. "What happens when we find him?"  
"We'll take him and his sister back to the orphanage," Rapunzel said. "If we find him."  
"We'll find him," Eugene nodded. He glanced down at Aisling and then scooped her up quickly, kissing her cheek. "Piggy-back ride? I don't want you to get too tired. You can tell us if you see any little red-haired boys wandering."  
"Okay!" she grinned, scrambling up and straddling his shoulders, hugging the top of his head. She rested her chin in his hair and developed a watchful expression on her face, despite the fact that she didn't know who Walter was, let alone what he looked like. She was just beyond pleased to be helping with something.

His parents' house wasn't hard to find. It was more rambleshack than most of the other cottages...plus, the loud yelling in the usually serene outskirts was kind of a dead giveaway.  
Eugene immediately handed Aisling over to Rapunzel, who stayed back uncertainly and kept Aisling from watching. Outside of the cottage, a short man with a scarred face and crooked teeth was shaking a woman by her bony shoulders. Walter was cringing up against the door, his baby sister wrapped protectively in his arms.  
"Excuse me," Eugene waded in between them and pushed the man back. He fairly towered over the other. "We're here to bring Walter and Megan back to the orphanage. What's the issue here?"  
"Why'd you care?" he spat.  
"Because maybe I'm not a fan of watching a woman get shaken like that. Unpopular opinion, perhaps, but still."  
He backed away from Eugene, breathing heavily as he cooled off. "Stupid woman gets in the way."  
"I'm not about to let you do what you were planning-" the woman started to argue, but one look from the man sent her back inside the house, stepping around both children. Walter tried to follow her in, but she pushed him out and slammed the door.  
"There you have it. Now get off my property. Royal or not, you've no right." he growled.  
"Technically, I do - y'know, those law books are really great. You might want to pick one up." With that snarky comment, Eugene stepped around the man, grabbed both of the kids, and rushed off before the other man exploded.

Walter squirmed to get out of the man's arms, grabbing at his sister at the same time. "Let me go! I can't go back!"  
"They won't hurt you," Aisling said, watching the boy closely. "They're my parents."  
"That's all well and nice and good for you, but I can't go back-I can't!" he yelled. Tears were streaming down his face. When he finally managed to kick Eugene in the gut, he slipped from his arm and ran.  
"Walter!" Rapunzel yelled. Before he could get too far away, she crammed Aisling's hand into Eugene's, hitched her skirts up, and darted off after him. When she caught up with him, she snagged his shoulder, making him stop. "Walter, running won't help. You can't take care of a little baby - I know you're a big boy but you _can't_. She'd get sick. And-and I know you don't want to be taken away from her and I wish we could help, but you can't run away. It's no good for either of you. Why did you run today?"  
"They're going to send me away and I thought they'd want me maybe but..." he trailed off and shrunk in on himself, obviously deeply hurt by what he was going to say. "They didn't want me. Nobody does."  
Rapunzel knelt down and felt her own eyes tearing up. "Listen. I know it seems that way, but there's someone out there who wants a little boy like you - and a girl like your sister, too, I'm sure! Don't think that, buddy. You know how you like to daydream?"  
The mention of it seemed to hurt him, too. "So?"  
"Don't give that up. It's a good distraction. You can imagine all sorts of incredible things, and-and what it'd be like if you lived in a huge house-"  
"It just makes me sad 'cause I never will, though," he shrugged.

Rapunzel licked her lips. She'd never seen anyone immune to her enthusiastic personality - aside from Priscilla and Gothel, of course. Trying to tuck a strand of brown hair behind her ear, she paused before reaching her arms out, offering a hug. "It'll be okay, buddy."  
"No it won't," he stared dejectedly at her and refused her embrace. A fairly large chunk of her heart went out to him. She wished she could tell him it _would _be okay someday, but she didn't know how and geez, she couldn't even guarantee it herself!  
She sighed and then stood, holding her hand out to him. "Well...for now, can't we go back to the orphanage to get you something to eat?"  
He pressed his pale lips together, marching ahead of her instead of taking her hand. She turned to follow him, and saw Eugene was standing with Aisling, holding Megan. Her husband and daughter were both watching.  
She fell into place walking with Eugene. "He's.." she started to say something quietly, but couldn't find the right words and just trailed off.  
"A bit like me when I was six," he said. "I'd try to get through to him, but he seems like he's really withdrawn."  
"Yeah," she nodded.  
"Can I talk with him, daddy?" Aisling asked, tugging on Eugene's arm.  
He glanced down at her hopeful face. "Well...sweetie, he might not want to talk. But you can if you want to. Just remember, though, he's had it pretty rough."  
"I _know _that, silly!" she exclaimed before skipping ahead to talk to him.  
He shook his head. "She knows everything."  
Rapunzel hummed in agreement. "She's smart, undoubtedly, but she flaunts it sometimes too," she laughed. Turning the focus to the baby, she offered to take it from him. He gladly eased the bundle into her arms. "How can this little one sleep, what with all that went on today?"  
"Tuckered out from the events, I suppose," he said.  
"She's not hurt, do you think?"  
He shook his head. "She'd be crying if she was, I think."  
"Okay," Rapunzel nodded. She couldn't help but feel worried for _any _of the orphans.

Back at the orphanage, Walter was in a mildly better mood after a long talk with Aisling. He'd opened up a little bit to her, at least.  
But then Claire rushed to greet him with a swift spank. "Don't you _ever _pull that trick again, Walter! And especially not with your baby sister!" she let him run off to his room, and then grumbled something about irresponsibility before taking Megan and placing her in a cradle. Finally, she returned to Rapunzel, Eugene, and Aisling. "Thank you for tracking them down."  
"Of course," Rapunzel nodded, but Aisling overlapped her.  
"Why did you hit him because he came home?"  
Claire froze, her mouth flapping like a fish's after being thrown abruptly out of the water. "Well, um-er...because he ran away in the first place."  
"That's silly-" Eugene set a hand on Aisling's shoulder and bent.  
"Honey, don't bring it up. I know you don't understand and you want to know why, but we'll talk later. Alright?"  
"Okay," she said, making a zipping motion across her lips to symbolize that she wouldn't ask any more awkward questions of Claire.  
A baby started wailing - recognized from last week as Mya-, so Rapunzel immediately made her way across the room to pick her up, relieved to be excused from the awkward situation. She couldn't help but applaud Aisling for saying it straight out, though. She had to giggle as she remembered Claire's speechless face.

When they got back to the castle, Aisling went to take a nap and Rapunzel and Eugene headed for the sitting-room, where Zack and Jo were.  
Johanna grinned eagerly and started crawling rapidly over towards her mother, but Zack chose the wobbly task of walking.  
"Did you guys miss us?" Rapunzel laughed, striding over before she knelt a foot in front of Jo. "C'mere, sweetie. Try out those legs of yours!" she held her upright and let her take a few tentative steps with her help, collapsing into her mother's lap with a giggle.  
"She's your daughter," the King chuckled. "All smiles and giggles."  
Rapunzel looked up in surprise. Of course, she'd known someone would be with the kids, but she hadn't seen either of her parents sitting there. Eugene scooped Zack up and tickled him, going to sit down by Rapunzel's parents. She followed him with Jo in tow, cuddling her close and sprinkling her face with kisses. Obviously, she just soaked up all the affection up!  
"So how was your visit with the orphanage today?" the Queen asked.  
"Oh, well...it was _interesting_, to say it in the least," Rapunzel nibbled her lip.  
Eugene chuckled. "That's a mild understatement, but yes. We ended up chasing down a runaway - a six year old with his baby sister. Long story short, we got them back to the orphanage."  
"Hmm.." the Queen nodded. "Troublemaker, I suppose?"  
"No," Rapunzel blurted. "They're planning on separating him from his baby sister and sending him to an orphanage in France. He doesn't want to be taken away from his sister. He knows who his biological parents are, so he tried to go to them."  
"But they wouldn't have him, obviously," the King filled in.  
"Yes," Rapunzel nodded.  
The Queen nodded as well. "Sounds like you were fairly busy today, too, then. How did Aisling take all of it?"  
"She wanted to make friends with him," Eugene laughed. "I daresay she might have, to boot."  
"Did you find a child you may want to adopt? The adoption application's only good for two more weeks, you know," the Queen brought up.  
"We know," Rapunzel nodded. "We...well...I don't know. I was actually hoping to talk about it later, Eugene. Later," she repeated when he raised his eyebrows, waiting for her to start.  
"Okay," he nodded.  
"We'll let you know before we adopt again, obviously," Rapunzel reassured, grinning. "Have you gotten any responses back about those coronation invitations?"  
"A few," the King nodded. "It's going to be a full house, I suspect."  
Rapunzel couldn't help but see Eugene pale at the mention of a 'full house' for the ceremony. The Queen caught it as well, and laughed. "You'll be fine, son."  
"That will remain to be seen," he mumbled, looking down at Zack, who had shoved his thumb in his mouth and was following the discussion diligently.

That evening, after bedtime stories were read and everyone was tucked in their beds, Rapunzel practically dragged Eugene into their bedroom, about ready to burst if she didn't talk to him.  
He laughed. "Yikes, Rapunzel, I knew you wanted to chat, but don't pull my arm out of my socket!"  
"Sorry," she winced.  
"It's okay," he grinned. "Can we just change into night clothes first?"  
She nodded, more than slightly impatient but letting him change before she dove right into the discussion.  
The brunette scurried behind the dressing curtain with her nightgown as soon as he was done, talking as she dressed. "So I, well...I really don't know what to do or if we should even _do _what I'm thinking about, but"-she paused as she unstrung her corset-"well, it's probably really crazy, and I just know-"  
Eugene's voice came from the other side of the curtain. "You're rambling, sweetie."  
"Sorry!" her voice was muffled as she pulled her nightgown over her head. She bustled out from behind the curtain and plopped down on the edge of the bed, watching their two candles flickering for a moment to calm her nerves. "I think we should maybe, possibly, well...adopt Megan and Walter."

Eugene paused. Rapunzel bit her lip, wanting to dive right into an explanation, but she knew he'd need time to mull it over himself. Eugene himself had been thinking the same thing earlier that day, when he saw Walter and Rapunzel, and then Walter and Aisling...and Megan...so why did the idea seem so foreign now?  
Rapunzel saw his 'deer-in-the-headlights' expression and sighed, collapsing face-first and burying her face in the pillow. "I'm sorry, I'm probably overreacting to the situation. Forget I mentioned it."  
Eugene licked his lips and took in a deep breath, holding it a moment before letting it out. "It's not that, and you're not overreacting. I just froze up," he sat down beside her and rubbed the spot between her shoulder blades.  
She mumbled into the pillow. "I would sit up to discuss this further, but that feels really good.."  
He laughed. "I thought you were so excited to discuss this."  
"I am," she rolled over and sat up. "But that also felt very nice. Anyway. So what are your thoughts?"  
Eugene ran a hand through his hair as he collected his thoughts. "I was thinking the same thing. But his tendency to run away..."  
"He's really withdrawn, too, but I think if someone would treat him well and encourage him instead of hit him around, he'd blossom."  
"What if he tried to run away to his parents again?"  
Rapunzel shook her head. "I don't think he would. He knows they don't want him, and nothing will fix that."  
Eugene grimaced at the mention of that. "There is that. I don't know, maybe I just feel for him because he reminds me a bit of me. I want to give him what I never had at his age. But I feel like that over _every _kid at the orphanage."  
"But weren't we hoping for a child that would fit in? And did you _see_ him with Aisling? They got along pretty well, I think. She was talking about him again at supper."  
He nodded. "But how would we do with not two, but _three _kids under the age of two? Megan's just a month and a half, and the twins are getting more mobile, but Jo's still behind."  
"I think we could manage..?" Rapunzel's voice tilted up at the end of it, wondering if they really _could. _"There's only one way to find out, unfortunately."  
He sighed and nodded. "We aren't carrying them constantly, I guess - they're getting more independent already anyway."  
"And going from three kids to five?" Rapunzel added.  
"It'd be hectic, but our _lives _are hectic," he laughed.

She nodded, chewing her lip furiously. When he mentioned that she'd chew a hole through her lip if she didn't stop, she huffed and tangled her fingers up in the fabric of her skirt instead. "So...what's your vote?"  
"I vote we talk it over with your parents tomorrow and then get those kids before they can be separated. What's yours?"  
"I vote the same," she squeaked.  
He laughed. "Are you sure? You don't sound so sure."  
"I am. I'm just - as usual - switching between super excited and super terrified."  
Eugene grinned. "I think it'll be okay."  
"I know," a smile spread across her face, and then she grabbed his face in her hands and kissed him, suddenly full of excitement for tomorrow. Until the next wave of concern hit, anyway.


	63. Chapter 63: Walter and Megan (p2)

"He has an issue with running away, and you want to adopt him?" The King asked.  
Rapunzel nodded. She didn't see the problem with it, after she'd talked with Eugene about it the night before. "He'll be okay."  
"But what if he isn't? What if he causes havoc? Rapunzel, I support you and Eugene adopting, but we cannot have an adoptive child wreaking havoc; it will make the royal name a joke!"  
Eugene stiffened. "Was I a bad thing, then, marrying into royalty?"  
The Queen licked her lips and sat back in her chair, glancing at her own husband. "There is that."  
"I'm sure he would straighten up with just a little guidance and a lot of love," Rapunzel said. "Please. If not, he and Megan going to be separated and he'll only get worse! He just seems to _fit _with our family, Mother. And Father, Claire says he's a good little boy except for that one vice!"  
"If you're up for all this, who am I to stop you; but I just want to know you thought this through, first," the King said.  
"We have," Eugene spoke up.  
The Queen shrugged her shoulders and went back to her breakfast, a smile spreading across her face. "I won't mind two more rascals running around."  
Rapunzel flew up out of her chair, running over to hug both of her parents. "Oh, I'm so excited! I was a little scared at first, but now that we're for sure going to adopt them, oh...it's just so exciting. They're both so sweet." When she sat down at her seat beside Eugene, she clasped his hand excitedly a moment before returning to her plate. "Aisling, what do you think?"  
"Walter's coming here?"  
"Walter and Megan, yes," Rapunzel nodded and smiled.  
Aisling bounced in her seat. "I can show him all the cool hiding places in the castle!"  
She laughed. Of course Aisling was excited to have a playmate -slash-sibling.  
Straight after the breakfast, Rapunzel and Eugene left Jo and Zack with the King and Queen, and Aisling went to her tutoring sessions. They headed quickly over to the orphanage, hoping to not come across chaos like the past two times they'd gone.

Taking a deep sigh, Rapunzel grinned at Eugene when they opened the door and found the _normal _level of chaos, minus an entire orphanage revamp or a runaway child. They went right to the orphanage office, where Mrs. Brigsly sat.  
"Hello, my dears. Come on in! Have you made a decision as to who you wish to adopt? That contract's only open for two more weeks, mind ya."  
Rapunzel nodded, looking up at Eugene, who gave her a reassuring smile. "Could we adopt both Walter _and _Megan? Is Walter still here?"  
"He's supposed to be picked up on the wagon tomorrow, as well as two others, but that will do, yes. Personally, I'm happy you've come back for them because I didn't want to see them separated." Mrs. Brigsly smiled broadly and then got to business writing up some more documents.

When they got back to the castle with Walter and Megan, the boy immediately went off on his own. Megan was fussy; constantly wanting either held or fed. Rapunzel ended up carrying Megan carefully in one arm and Jo in the other. The older child was oddly mesmerized by the younger, staring at her unblinkingly with her wide brown eyes. Zack was, as normal, just concerned with what Daddy was doing; and in this case, it was talking with the King, refreshing his memory about some laws.

Rapunzel finally managed to get Walter and all of the other kids rounded up into the sitting-room after her parents went to bed. Eugene was sitting with a book, and Aisling made sure to cuddle up against him before anyone else could.  
Walter balked at this idea of reading with everyone else.  
"Can I go to bed instead?" he asked.  
Rapunzel hesitated and looked at Eugene, who answered with "Okay."  
"I'll take you to your room," she offered. He slid off of the couch and when she offered her hand, he clasped his own behind his back and kept his eyes to the floor. Biting back a sigh, she led him to his room.  
She turned her back while he dressed in his nightclothes, and then turned around to tuck him into bed.  
"Can you leave the candle? I don't like the dark."  
Rapunzel nodded, setting it down on a table. "Okay. I'll be back later to get it." She smoothed his hair away from his forehead and smiled. "I love you."  
He wrinkled his nose and stared at her. "Huh?"  
Did he even know what it meant? "Hasn't anyone ever told you that?"  
"No. But don't think I'm stupid," he said defensively.  
"Of course not," Rapunzel said, her face twisting into a sad smile. "It means I care about you a lot, and always will. We both will."  
He pursed his lips off to the side. "Hm."  
She longed to hug him, but thought he'd be opposed to it. So she just stood up and headed back to the sitting-room.  
Jo grinned, reaching out and wiggling her fingers at her mother.  
"Yes, baby girl," Rapunzel laughed. She scooped her up off of the couch, cuddling her close and burying her nose in her neck a moment before kissing it, making the little girl giggle. Eugene eased Megan over to Rapunzel, and then continued reading.  
After two short chapters, Aisling asked to go to bed. Eugene nodded, and so they gathered the small clan to get them all ready for bed. Nightclothes were put on, children tucked into bed, goodnight hugs, kisses, and "I love yous" given, and finally, Rapunzel handed Megan over to Eugene.  
"Can you feed her, please? I need to go get the candle from Walter's room."  
"Mmhmm," he nodded, taking the small bundle and kissing the baby's forehead. "I'll get her all ready for bed."  
"You're a dear," Rapunzel grinned, kissing his jaw before padding down the hallway barefoot.

She found the young boy reading. "Hey," she whispered, "what're you reading?"  
His eyes raced from the page and his eyebrows flew up in fear. "I-I'm sorry-"  
"No-no-no, it's okay," she crept over and sat down on the edge of his bed. "I'm just curious."  
He silently handed the book over to her, and she smiled. "Fairytales. You have good taste!"  
Walter swallowed, nodding. "Thanks."  
She set the book aside and fixed him with a pensive gaze. "Sweetie, you don't have to be wary of us. I promise you we won't hurt you. I get it if it's hard for you to understand, but...don't be afraid."  
He picked at his blanket with small fingers. "You'll send me back just like everyone else, though."  
Rapunzel shook her head. "We won't; I promise we won't. Buddy, we've been wanting to adopt again for awhile, and you and Megan just _fit. _Whatever problems you have from your past, whatever fears, whatever behaviors...it won't matter. And we'll never lay a hand on you with ill intent."  
The child's eyes filled with tears. "B-but if you do send me back, then it'll just hurt more if I let myself like you-"  
"You won't get hurt," she reached impulsively to hug him. She could keep from doing so anymore. He stiffened against her, but after a minute, he relaxed and started to cry. "Walter, when I say we love you I mean it - _we _mean it. We really, truly want you to accept us as your parents. We'll never hurt you or leave you." He shuddered and sniffled, so she scooped his shaking little body up into her lap, rocking him back and forth and holding him as close as she could. He buried his small face up against her bodice, which soon soaked through with tears.  
How long had he been holding this in? Had he ever been held before, held and told he was loved and wouldn't be given up on? She squeezed his shoulders and kissed his hair.  
"You promise?" he asked, pulling away enough to look up at her with sad, brown eyes.  
"Promise. _Pinky _promise," she smiled and held her smallest finger out to him. He stared at it, unfamiliar with the term, but took it in his hand and shook it instead. Wiping his cheeks gently, her smile broadened. "Could I hug you for just a _couple _more seconds?"  
"You're not mad for me lying about the candle so I could read?"  
"No!" she shook her head. "You didn't cause harm. While I'm a little sad you didn't want to come read with us, I understand. Next time, you can just tell me you want to read. Okay?"  
"Okay. And I wouldn't mind a hug, no," he gave her a hint of a smile, so she hugged him again.  
"Mmm...big bear hug!" she laughed when she let him go and his eyes were wide. "Now...do you mind if I read to you a little bit? If you don't want me to, that's okay."

He twisted his lips off to the side. "Okay."  
"Cool," she said, scooping up the book and re-situating herself in his narrow bed, propping her head up against the wall as she read aloud. To her surprise, he cuddled up to her side and looked up at her questioningly. She smiled and nodded, putting an arm around him. After only one chapter, he was fast asleep. She eased away from him, covering him up and taking the candles from the room.

When she got back to her own room, Eugene was sitting on the rocking chair, Megan in his arms.  
"I fed her again. She's asleep, finally," he whispered.  
Rapunzel nodded, smiling as she peered down at the tiny, sleeping face. "Little sweetheart."  
"How was Walter? You spent quite some time with him. Something happen?" he asked quietly, standing up and moving to ease Megan into her cradle.  
"I think I broke through to him a little bit," Rapunzel nodded. "He's scared we'll hurt him, and he's scared to get attached to us because apparently, everyone sends him away. Now, the ladies at the orphanage say that he runs away, but...I don't know."  
"Maybe they don't care enough to accompany him, so they just make him leave?" Eugene suggested. "That happened to me once."  
"Maybe. I don't know...I think you should have a conversation with him tomorrow, though. It might do him some good to see that you were in a very similar boat at his age."  
"That's what I was thinking," he nodded, yawning and flopping facefirst onto the bed. "Tomorrow."  
"Tomorrow," Rapunzel agreed, grinning at his tired antics.


	64. Chapter 64: Busy Morning

Megan woke up at five in the morning, wailing loudly.  
Rapunzel moaned into her pillow, her head throbbing. None of the other children had ever been so fussy, and Megan hadn't slept at all last night. Rapunzel had been up most of the night with her because Eugene had another meeting with the King the following day, this time over something with Eire.  
"I'll get her," Eugene set a hand on her back, and she rolled over to see he was already up and dressed, buttoning his vest. "Go back to sleep. Seems like you were up quite a bit with her?"  
"Uh-huh," Rapunzel yawned and blinked. "Thank you. You're amazing."  
He chuckled, bending to give her a quick kiss before going to pick Megan up. Rapunzel buried herself under the blankets and promptly fell back asleep.

Eugene was good at multitasking. He went to the kitchen, asked a maid to mash some fruits for Jo and Zack's breakfast, got Megan's bottle of goat's milk prepared, and then fed her as he ate his own breakfast. When that was done with, he woke Aisling and then left for the twins' room, setting Megan in Jo's crib as he dressed the twins. Aisling came into their room and carried Zack to the dining hall, and Eugene went behind her with Jo and Megan in his arms. He peeked in on Walter, who was still fast asleep, so he left him sleep until after he'd fed the twins. Finally, after Rapunzel's parents had arrived for their breakfast, he'd asked the Queen to watch the twins and Megan while he went to get Walter up.  
"Hey, buddy. Time to rise and shine," he shook his shoulder gently. The boy woke with a start, rolling away fearfully and curling into a ball. "Don't freak out. Just waking you up for breakfast!" he ruffled his rusty hair.  
"Oh," Walter mumbled. "I'll be out in a minute."  
"I'd actually like to talk to you for a sec." Eugene sat down on the edge of his bed and watched Walter rub his eyes.  
"Okay," he said quietly. "What'd I do?"  
"Nothing," he shook his head. "Just...you can trust us. And if you don't feel like you can talk to us, that we won't understand...well, we would. Rapunzel was kidnapped as a baby and kept for eighteen years in captivity, basically, and wasn't treated all that well. I was an orphan, and my parents died when I was a little younger than you. I had my share of abusive homes. I got in trouble for reading too much. I'd usually run away. So we're pretty similar, if you think about it!"  
"Did running away help?" he asked. "It never did for me."  
Eugene shook his head. "Nope. Then one time, I ran away, and they just let me go. Life only went downhill from there, trust me. Running away isn't how you get away from problems; it only creates more."

"How did you marry her? And-how did she get away? _She _ran away, I bet."  
"I actually, well, found her. Completely by accident. You know the lantern festival that goes on each year?"  
"Yeah,"  
"That was originally started to find Rapunzel when she was taken as a baby. She always felt connected to them, somehow, and wanted me to act as her guide to see the lanterns. She was going to go back to her mother, whom she didn't know was treating her poorly until she saw and felt how people _really _should act; but then I guess fate stepped in the way. If you believe in that kinda thing."  
"But she ran away."  
Eugene licked his lips. "Has running away helped you before?"  
"I got away from them, but the orphanage would just send me to another bad home," he said, "so I guess not."  
"Okay. Well, it's kinda complicated, but running away actually got Rapunzel into a bit of a pickle. It all worked out, though," he cleared his throat. "But enough back story. Long story short, you can trust us. I've been through similar circumstances and Rapunzel has as well, to a point, so you can talk to us. And we aren't planning on giving you and Megan up."  
Walter nodded, pursing his lips to the side as he thought about this. "Okay," he finally said softly.  
"Okay? Cool. Now, let's get some breakfast. You hungry?"  
"I guess," he nodded.  
"Okay. I'll wait outside the door while you get dressed."

Rapunzel woke up at eleven o'clock, her headache gone and replaced with her normal zeal for life. She bustled out of their room just in time for lunch. Eager to see her family, she trotted through the castle, headed for the sitting-room. When she didn't see anyone there, she made her way to the dining hall. She was reaching for the door handle when a certain someone grabbed her waist, pulling her back away from the door. Whirling around in surprise, she laughed when she saw Eugene. "Hey, you! You _almost _scared me."  
"Almost? Hmh." he grinned, ducking to give her a soft kiss. "Refreshed?"  
"Most definitely," she smiled and slipped her arms around his neck. "Thank you. Thank you a bazillion times. How are the kids? How was your meeting? Are you still-"  
He laughed, hugging her tight for a moment. "One question per inhalation, please. The kids are fine. Aisling was a dear and helped with the twins this morning. They've been with me and your father this morning, and were mannerly. Megan's been with your mother, and Walter's been in the library. My meeting's over, for the most part. I think. It went well - don't worry, there are no upcoming wars."  
"Good. Good, good, good," Rapunzel grinned. "Do I need to find Walt?"  
"I asked Roy to keep an eye on him. He's been reorganizing book shelves in the library," he winked, then glanced away from his girl when he heard footsteps. "And there they come now."  
Rapunzel slipped away from Eugene and smiled. "Thank you, Roy. How's your day been going, Walter?"  
An expression of bliss was on his face. "It's okay," he said, a little bashfully.  
"Read anything good?"  
"This book I found, something about a swashbuckling rogue..I didn't read too much of it but it was good," he explained quickly.  
"_The Tales of Flynnigan Rider_?" Eugene asked.

"I think so," he nodded.  
"Way to go, dude. That's one of the best books out there!" he said. Walter looked up at him with an inkling of a smile.  
When they pushed through the doors to go into the dining hall, the Queen was feeding Megan, but she soon handed her over to Rapunzel.  
"How are you, dear?"  
"Rested, thankfully," Rapunzel laughed, looking down at Megan. "And how are you, sweetie? Satisfied over getting a full belly, I hope!"  
Aisling ran over to Walter. "Sit beside me! I wanna show you my tutoring book. It has all sorts of cool stuff in it." He gave her a bewildered stare, but followed behind her, sitting carefully on a chair and listening to her diligently. Eugene scooped Jo and Zack up and sat both of them on his lap.  
"How on earth will we keep up with everyone after our coronation?" Rapunzel asked, laughing despite her sudden realization.  
He glanced over at her and kissed her cheek. "We'll make things work. I'd pinky promise if I had a little finger available," he grinned, looking down at Zack as he pounded on the table, eagerly awaiting lunch.


	65. Chapter 65: Berk

**A/N: I'm stepping over some boundaries here and incorporating Berk from _How to Train Your Dragon _in this. I hope this doesn't mess anything up for anyone, I'm just enthralled with HTTYD as well. Thought it would be neat to incorporate it as well.  
**

* * *

August came, and it was a scorching hot one. Aisling, officially a very proud six year old, was constantly busy with tutoring, and Walter was settling in nicely. He would start lessons in October. Megan was a fussy baby, but had settled in nicely. Jo had finally started walking, to Rapunzel's absolute delight - and Eugene's of course - and Zack, being the darling brother he was, always seemed to encourage her to walk more. Emilie had finally had her baby, about a week late, so Rapunzel took up the slack that Emilie left, so that her friend could recover and spend time with her new baby; despite her parents wanting to hire another temporary worker.

There was only one more quarter remaining in the current King and Queen's reign, so they were so extremely busy that Rapunzel hardly saw them at all. It disappointed her, but she knew that once all the craziness of the coronation was over, she'd _make _time to be around her family - both her parents and her kids.

At the beginning of August, Rapunzel was folding laundry when Eugene strolled into the twins' room, hugging her around the waist and taking the clothes from her hands.  
"Hey. Talk for a minute?"  
"Hey yourself," she smiled, turning around in his arms and putting her arms around his neck. "What's up?"  
"First of all, I wanted to remind you that I haven't seen you since breakfast this morning and that is _simply _unacceptable; second of all, I just got out of a chat with your dad."  
Rapunzel grinned. "Well, I'm so sorry for spending such a long time away from you; and secondly, what was the chat about?"  
He kissed the tip of her nose before continuing. "He wants me to go to Berk with him while he smooths out some business with their new chief. He wants to do this before he hands the reins over to us."  
Rapunzel nodded. "When?"  
"Next week. Kind of spur of the moment, I know. He originally wanted both of us to go, but-"  
"I can't," she shook her head. "Not with the kids, and not with covering for Emilie and training - and, goodness, who would even take care of the kids while we were-"  
Eugene knew she'd do this. He let her ramble for a few moments before giving her a quick peck on the lips, silencing her. "That's why I told him you wouldn't want to go, sweetie."  
She sighed in relief and leaned up against him. "Thank you."

He chuckled, giving her a quick hug. "But I didn't give him a definitive answer for my attendance, either. I know he wants me to and everything, but we've kind of got our hands full. Both of us."  
"I can take care of the kids on my own," she said. "And...the other stuff. And I know Walt would help. He's such a sweetie."  
"That he is," Eugene nodded. "You're sure?"  
She licked her lips and nodded. "I suppose. I mean, we have to learn how to manage all this sooner or later."  
"True,"  
"So are you?" she asked.  
"I _should_. It doesn't mean I _want _to spend a month away from my family."  
"You'll be okay," she grinned, swinging up on tiptoe to give him a quick kiss. "You'll be an awesome, prepared king when the coronation rolls around."  
"Prince consort, technically," he corrected.  
"Alright, smarty." she rolled her eyes teasingly and giggled when he gave her a quick, tight hug. "You'll probably enjoy the escape. Last time you were away from home for any amount of time, you were at war."  
"Last time I was on a boat, too," he said grimly.  
Her cheery attitude faded. "Oh," she bit her lip. Maybe the boat would trigger thoughts and nightmares.  
Eugene caught on via the obvious and immediate concern in her wide green eyes. "Hey, but I'm sure it'll be all good. And I'm not actually heading to war."  
"Thank goodness you aren't," she added.  
"And I know for certain I'll be able to come home to my sweet little daughters and charismatic sons. And my perfect wife," he added, just to see her face flame red.  
She rolled her eyes again, fighting the grin that tugged at the corners of her lips. "I know you do that on purpose, you know."  
"I know," he slipped away from her arms and gave her a faux-cool, know-it-all glance. "But you always reward me with that pretty little smile, so what's a guy to do?"  
She swatted his chest playfully with the back of her hand. "What am I going to do with you..."

Still not done teasing, he met her eyes, a glimmer of mischief in his own. "Kiss me one more time and then you can let me help you with laundry."  
She pretended to think this over for about ten seconds, laughing and tugging at his shirt collar to pull him down to her level before she kissed him soundly. "Done and..." she handed him a pile of tiny clothes. "Done."

Walter took the news with a minor complaint about him leaving.  
Aisling took to the idea of her father being gone for _a month_ a lot less calmly. "But - but...Daddy!"  
"I know, sweetie, but I have to," he felt a twinge of regret for telling the King he'd go with him.  
"I don't want you to go! Last time you went away, you got hurt!"  
Rapunzel reached for Aisling, who was seated near her at the dining table. She patted her arm reassuringly. "Sweetheart, he's not going to war. This is-this is like when grandfather and grandmother go away for a little while, and then come back. Business trips, if you will."  
Her face relaxed, switching promptly to excitement. "Oh. Oh, Daddy, maybe I could come with you!"  
He chuckled. "Maybe when you're older, baby girl. The sea's not a very good place-"  
"I'm six years old! _Six!" _she exclaimed, proud of her old age.  
"I'll make a deal with you, then. When you're...ten. In _four years_, you can come with me on the ship, if you're good for Momma this time while I'm gone. I don't want to let you go any sooner because you're still small and I don't want you to get hurt. Understand, honey?"  
Walter watched the interaction silently, eating his food slowly.  
Aisling sighed. "Four years is almost a lifetime!"  
Rapunzel bit back a laugh. "For you it is, sweetie, but time passes quickly. I promise!"  
Walter chose that moment to speak up. "Will I have to help you, Mom?"  
She nodded and turned her attention to the rust-haired boy. "It would be greatly appreciated. You're already a big help, though."  
Not to be outdone, Aisling turned her energy away from protesting. "_I'll _help out too. When I'm not in tutoring. And I'll be really, really good!"  
Eugene chuckled, relieved that the crisis was averted. For now. "That'd be a good girl. And what about you, Zack? Jo? Any arguments against me going?"

Jo smiled at him, pleased with his attention, and Zack giggled. Apparently, those ones were the only two with no reservations about his departure. And Megan, of course, who didn't care about much except the arms that held her and the bottle that fed her.


	66. Chapter 66: Dragon in the Kitchen

The seas were turbulent. So was Eugene's typically calm stomach. He stayed in his bed for most of the last two days of the trip to Berk, curled up into the fetal position.  
"Getting weak in your old age?" the King entered without knocking - no surprise there. Eugene groaned.  
"Just wait 'til you get seasick one day," he grumbled. "How much longer until we dock at Berk?"  
"Approximately forty-seven hours," James said. "And for your information, I _have _been seasick before. You'll get over it."  
"How does one get over seasickness?" Eugene asked, sitting up. Maybe he had some impressive tip.  
The King stooped down, picked up a bucket, and held it out to him, holding his grin in check.  
Eugene bit back an irritated comment, flopping face first into his pillow as another wave of sickness hit him. "This is the story of the day I drowned in my own vomit..." his moan was muffled by the pillow. He heard the door shut, so his father in law must've finally let him alone to die in peace.

When they docked at Berk, Eugene couldn't exit the ship fast enough. He tried to act normal, waiting for the King to exit the ship, but on the inside, he was rejoicing. _Solid ground. Thank goodness. I love solid ground. _The tall man surveyed the land around him. They faced a long, winding staircase up into the main village, because the island soared hundreds of feet above the sea. It was a fairly small island, but what they lacked, they made up for in charm. Little Viking children ran and played, sheep were grazing around the winding staircase, and the houses looked simple. Women and men worked together outside, tending to crops or sheep. The most interesting thing was the presence of dragons. Freaking fire-breathing dragons, ones that were  
A boy of average height bounded down the stairs, waving.  
"King and Prince Consort of Corona, I figure?" he called out. Dear goodness, the kid had a nasally voice. A dirty face and hands. Two - no, three - tiny braids in his hair. And a scar near his lip. Who was this kid; how did he know who they were? Eugene stared at him suspiciously.

"Yes...?" Eugene asked, glancing behind him to see the King leave the ship. "And you are?"  
"Hiccup Haddock the Horrendous. The third. Ah, good to meet you guys," he said, stopping to rub his dirty hands on his worn brown pants. "I apologize, I was working in the tack shop - got about five orders for saddles in just today. Lost track of time, good thing Astrid's got my back with schedules and stuff I'm not good at."  
"Ah-huh," Eugene nodded, dropping his gaze to see that the boy lacked part of a leg.  
"Astrid's my girlfriend. Well, fiancee, I guess, as of last week," he rubbed the back of his neck and rambled. "Oh, and I hope you guys like sheep stew. Big pot of it cooking in the shop for lunch. And my place is not the best of living quarters, I guess, but unless you want to sleep on your ship-"  
"We'll see," Eugene broke in immediately, suspicious of the- what was his name, Haddock? - kid. "Where's the chief?"  
"You're lookin' at him," he held his arms out and shrugged, grinning. "Berk's not the biggest island, and I'm not the biggest or sharpest-looking chief, but...tada. Welcome to Berk."  
Eugene gulped. "My apologies. I, ah..."  
"It's fine," he waved it off with a short, genuine laugh. "I get that a lot."  
James strode over - finally - and shook hands with the boy. "Excellent to meet you, Hiccup!"  
"Nice to meet you too, sir," he nodded and then grimaced. "Sorry about the sooty hand."  
The King shrugged it off and immediately strode off with Hiccup, leaving Eugene to tag along behind, having a mini heart-attack over Berk. The chief that looked like a seventeen year old, the tiny yet amazing island, the _dragons_! Whew.

The meeting with Hiccup only made Berk more interesting. He explained the current state of the country, what had happened to throw him into leadership (and he was _twenty_, not seventeen, he explained patiently), and then they covered the important topics in which they came to take care of in the first place.  
At the end of the day, the King leaned back in his seat, sipping some sort of strong beer-like substance that Eugene had stayed away from. "You're a very efficient chief, Hiccup. We discussed business much faster with you than I think I ever have in any other country."  
Hiccup nodded. "Thanks. You're actually the first, ah..." he waved his hand.  
"Dignitary? King? Person from another country?" Eugene tried to fill in for him.  
He gestured. "Yeah. Any of those words. First king to bring that up."  
The King nodded. "You're doing a fine job."  
As he spoke, a woman with an axe and a messy blonde braid stomped into the house, dropping the axe at the doorway to grab the chief's attention "That's what I tell 'im, but he never listens to me!"  
Hiccup stood. "I do, but being betrothed to me, it's kinda your obligation to tell me I'm doing a good job as chief. What did you stop in here for?"  
She leaned out of the doorway to grab a net full of still-slimy fish. "Your mother told me to catch some fish for dinner tonight."  
"Oh," he nodded, scratching his head. "Yeah, I forgot about..."  
"Dinner? Again?" she rolled her eyes, grinned, and took the net to the other end of the house, where there was a simple fire pit and some utensils. She started gutting them, and a tiny little dragon raced in through a small cut-out in the door, gulping the scraps up.

"So...dragons." Eugene gestured. He'd grown up all his life thinking dragons were mythical, but he was sitting within thirty feet of one now. He couldn't grasp it. "How do you guys have them, but no one else in the _entire world_ has them?"  
Hiccup shrugged. "They just chased them away, saw them as nuisances. Toothless, now, you haven't met him, but he's the one who saved us from chasing them away from Berk, too. And my mom, of course, she kinda gave me a predisposition to dragon-loving. So that's it, I guess. We're kind of the official safe-haven for dragons."  
Eugene nodded. "Wait until I tell my daughter about this. She's enthralled with fairytales."  
Hiccup jumped up. "We can do better than that, can't we? I'll be right back."  
Eugene sat uncomfortably now, wondering how much of a nuisance he was being. First, he blew Hiccup off as a kid with poor intentions, and next he was almost interrogating him about dragons. The guy had more to worry about than answering questions.  
Hiccup came back within minutes. "We just got a printing press here from England, and it's amazing, let me tell you. We've made about thirteen copies of these babies." A freshly-bound book with a soft leather cover was handed to Eugene. "It's a book about our breeds of dragons, what they do...everything. Illustrated by yours truly and written by my mom and Astrid. Disclaimer in front says that everything is 100% accurate. Pretty nifty, huh? She'll like it, I bet."  
"Oh, I'm sure she will. Thank you," he nodded, carefully setting the book on the table. "When she gets older, I'll need to bring her over here. The place is pretty amazing."

"Berk...it snows nine months and hails the other three," he shrugged. "Pretty simple land, but it's got its perks. Dragons being one of the main ones. Now, you guys can lodge overnight here. I don't figure you want to start back on the ship so soon."  
"Definitely not," Eugene shook his head, and James bit back a laugh.  
"Not the finest of lodging, but it'll work! The little dragons like you just saw earlier make nice lap warmers."  
Eugene couldn't help the snarky thought about a fire-breathing dragon being a good lap warmer.


	67. Chapter 67: Controlled Chaos

The kids were sweethearts. Really, they were! Aisling helped with the twins when she could, and Walter tagged along behind Rapunzel like a lost puppy, helping her when at all possible. The Queen was usually busy, but when she could, she'd watch the twins or Megan. Rapunzel was constantly on her feet and overnight, woke every two or three hours to feed Megan. One particularly frustrating day in which Megan had been up most of the night, Rapunzel had caught her skirt in a door and tore it - humiliating herself horridly in front of several of the maids, who tittered behind the hands they'd clamped over their mouths, nothing seemed to go right and she burnt the goat's milk preparing a bottle for Megan - _twice_ -, Rapunzel was just about ready to explode. She'd never felt so pressured before in her life!

Rapunzel was making her way to the supply closet with freshly washed and air-dried linens that evening when she tripped over her own feet, sending the basket flying and scattering the cloths everywhere. She caught herself with her elbows, gasping in surprise but catching herself before she fell on her face. It was the last straw, so she just sat up, pulled her knees up to her chest and buried her face in them, and allowed herself a good cry. Silent, of course, so nobody would hear her - she didn't want to make things any more embarrassing! She was embarrassed enough that she was crying.  
"Momma?"  
Drat. Of course she wouldn't be completely alone, not with five kids.  
"Hm, sweetie?" Rapunzel immediately got to her feet, rubbing at her face and nose. "What's up?"  
"Why were you crying?" Walter asked, walking over and looking up at her. "Are you hurt?"  
"No, sweetie. I just dropped these," she smiled and ruffled his hair. "What're you up to?"  
"Gram'ma says dinner's ready."  
"Okay," she nodded. "You go on ahead, bud. I'll make my way over in a few minutes!"  
He nodded, but stayed put, his lips twisted to the side as he thought. Finally, he stooped down and clumsily started folding some linen towels. "I'll help."  
"Thank you, sweetie, but you go eat. You were a biiig help today!" she set another folded dishcloth in the basket before bringing him into a bear hug. "Thank you."  
"I'll help," he repeated, grinning at her when he wormed away from the hug.  
"Okay," she laughed. In a couple of minutes, the rest of the linens were folded again. "Thank you, bud. Now, skedaddle and eat your supper before it gets cold!"  
"It won't," he shook his head, following her into the supply closet and watching her put the cloths in their respective locations. They were too high-up for him to reach, so he just watched. "Momma, do you miss Daddy?"

She nodded. "Definitely, but he'll be home in...one week. Do you miss him?"  
He nodded as well. "How long has he been away?"  
"Three weeks. So one week will _fly _by compared to how long it's been since he left!" Rapunzel turned around and smiled, offering him her hand. He slipped his small one into hers and followed her to the dining hall, about half a castle away.  
"Why did he go away? Are you sure he'll come home?"  
"He went away to help Grandfather with some business. We do this sometimes, because of the responsibilities of ruling a kingdom. He'll be back, don't worry."  
"One of the adoptive parents I had...the man left and said he'd be back in a month and he never did. He left and I saw him in town again though, he made me promise I wouldn't tell his wife."  
Rapunzel felt a pang for the young boy, exposed to such heartbreaking things such as a family torn apart. "Daddy'll be back, honey. I promise he will! He'd never leave us."  
He nodded silently and opened the dining hall door, slipping inside.

Rapunzel couldn't help but worry after that. Of course, it didn't help that she was exhausted and she typically expected the worst when she was so tired, but his words had hit home. Of course she couldn't guarantee his safe return home. He was at sea. Many people lost their lives at sea. The idea nearly drove her to tears, and she suddenly realized how much she really missed him.

* * *

That night didn't prove to be much better. She couldn't really sleep herself, and while Megan slept like a rock, exhausted herself, Jo took it upon herself to sob so loudly that Rapunzel heard her down the hallway and through the thick wooden door. Yawning, she pulled on her light robe and padded to the twins' room, scooping her up and taking her from the room before she woke her brother.  
"What's the matter, sweet pea?" Rapunzel nuzzled her neck to try to get her to giggle. "Too warm to sleep, huh?"  
She took a shuddering breath and sniffled, distracted by her mother's words. Then, she buried her face in Rapunzel's shoulder and hiccuped. Rapunzel took her out onto the balcony attached to the bedroom, sighing herself when she was rewarded with a cool breeze in the muggy night. "It'd be nice to sleep out here, wouldn't it, baby girl? Maybe I'll leave the door ajar." She paused when she considered how her parents had lost her - through an unlocked door leading out to a balcony. She'd shut and lock the door when she came in.


	68. Chapter 68: Storms and Tea

He should've been home two days ago. Rapunzel was worried sick, knowing that there had been poor weather in Corona for the past five days - so what if they'd fallen victim to a storm at sea? She couldn't lose her father _or _her husband, let alone both of them all at once! Her mother didn't seem concerned, though, saying that things happened and they would be home soon, surely. Or perhaps she was pulling a brave face, knowing she would go into full panic mode otherwise. She supposed her mother couldn't really afford to get upset, what with a kingdom to focus on and rule while her father was away. So that was why, on the seventh of September, Rapunzel was awake at 3 in the morning, reading by the light of two or three candles in the library. She couldn't sleep, but was able to engross herself in the story to not notice a sound, let alone the passage of time. She'd fed Megan at one before she went to the library, but after she'd slipped into the fantasy world of the book she was reading, she was oblivious to the world around her.

* * *

"Thank goodness," Eugene muttered, stepping into the castle doors. It was incredibly late, or incredibly early; depending on how you looked at it. He wasn't tired, exactly, maybe just drained from the trip itself, and he was relieved to be back home.  
"I concur," the King chuckled, rubbing his face tiredly. "I'm not even changing clothes. Just going to bed. Good night."  
"Okay. 'Night," Eugene nodded, slinging his old burlap bag over the other shoulder. The past three days or so had been pretty dreadful out on sea; the rolling waves rocked the ship back and forth and threatened to splash inside of the ship. Lightning had split the sky into fragments one of the nights, and there was a concern that the metal masts holding the sails would attract the lightning and catch fire. So Eugene was one hundred and three percent sure that he would never set foot on a ship again, between the seasickness and the storms. He kicked off his sopping boots at the doorway and padded through the hallway to the kitchen, where he got a candle and lit it. He stopped in each of the kids' rooms, peering inside at each of them for a few moments before heading to his own bedroom. Setting his burlap bag down at the door carefully, he realized Rapunzel wasn't in the room. He set the candle aside and changed into night clothes, then hurried in his bare feet back down the hallway.  
He finally found a soft light emanating from the library, so he slipped inside, not wanting to disturb her if she'd fallen asleep.

She was curled up on the couch, but far from asleep. Her eyes were trained on the pages of the book, so she didn't even see him, not even with the addition of the extra light. He grinned, shaking his head and watching her for a few minutes until he finally stepped forward and brushed a lock of hair from her eyes. She almost dropped the book in surprise, her heart tripping along at a frantic rate until she saw who it was. The next moment, she was up off of the couch and had thrown herself in his arms, gasping in surprise and giggling with happiness and sighing with relief, somehow all at the same time. He chuckled, stumbling back a few steps and setting his candle down on the nearest table so he could wrap his arms around her.  
"I take it you're happy to see me, hm?" he grinned, kissing the top of her head a few times. Her face was buried in his shoulder, but she eventually let go of him, her face beaming.  
"I was so scared something had happened to you! Why were you gone for so long? You're _two days_ late! Actually, what time is it? Maybe you're technically _three _days late! Oh my goodness. How was the trip? What-"  
He laughed, ducking to kiss her cheek to distract her. "Sweetheart, I can only answer so many questions before I forget the rest of 'em. There were some storms that delayed us. But we're all home and we all made it in one piece. I'm terribly sorry for being so late; I didn't think that swimming would help me get home any faster," he winked. "It's three AM, so maybe I technically _was _three days late. Whatever can I do to make up for this terrible delay, m'lady?"  
She giggled, hugging him again. "I'm glad you guys are back safe. And, well, maybe a kiss for each day you were delayed would help..." she teased.  
He chuckled. "Oh, if I have to, I suppose..." he grinned and bent to kiss her gently, pulling her close and stroking her cheek. She broke away and hid her grin in his shoulder.  
"You still smell like the sea," she commented, looking up and making a funny face.  
"Well, I've been off of it for a whole, what, ten minutes?" he joked. "Is that a good or a bad thing?"  
"I haven't decided yet," she teased. "Do you want some tea? I might make some chamomile before bed."

He nodded, letting her go and picking up his candle again. "I'm up for tea if you're up for tea."  
She grinned and blew out two of her three candles, picking up the third and taking his hand in her free hand. Slipping quickly to the kitchen, she started a fire and heated some water, which had been left overnight. She buzzed around the kitchen, her bare feet cooled by the stone tile on the floor. Grabbing the tea leaves - chamomile for both of them - and her herbs that she'd started mixing in again, she set them on the counter and then got two heavy mugs from a cabinet. She briskly stirred them around until the water darkened to a reddish amber and then handed it to him. In hers, she added some of the herbs she'd taken when she was with child - raspberry leaves, sage, and mint - and then turned around, leaning up against the counter and sipping it.  
"Somethin' you want to tell me?" he asked teasingly, and when she looked over the rim of her mug questioningly at him, he gestured to the packets of herb leaves she'd left on the counter.  
"Oh!" she coughed, nearly losing her mouthful of tea out through her nose. "No. Uh...no, I'm not. I just-I just kinda like the taste and they give me a tad more energy. Unless I'm drinking chamomile, of course, like we are now, but..and maybe I feel a little healthier when I drink it, I don't know.." she broke off to try to take another sip of her tea, and ended up choking.  
He laughed, patting her back until she swallowed. "Sorry."  
She shook her head, but then gave him a sidelong glance and shoved him a step or two away, laughing through her nose. "You're really terrible."  
"I was legitimately curious," he defended himself, giving her a lopsided grin and putting his arm around her shoulders, tightening it when she tried to squirm away. "You're the one who overreacted, m'love."  
"Are you seriously going to try a Scottish accent?"  
"Hey, I was in Berk for a month. Some of them have Scottish accents_._"

She shook her head and smiled, taking a sip from her cup. "How was Berk?"  
"It was amazing, Rapunzel. We need to go someday, with the kids. They have _dragons_."  
"Oh, you're being full of yourself."  
"No, I'm serious. They have dragons. Freaking fire-breathing dragons. It's amazing. They made a species booklet and Hiccup, the chief, made the illustrations. He gave me one for Aisling to look at. They're spectacular!" he said.  
"How come dragons have never ventured here, then?" Rapunzel asked.  
"Countries drove them out. Berk almost did, too, but Hiccup changed things. If you don't believe me, I'll have to get out the dragon scale I brought home. I was scratching Hiccup's dragon, Toothless, behind his ear or ears or whatever they are, and one came off, so he let me keep it. It's like...whoa. Honestly, Rapunzel. It's amazing."  
"Did you even want to come home?" Rapunzel laughed.  
"Well, duh," he chuckled. "Even if it did mean coming home to a wife who won't believe me when I say I saw a toy-poodle of a dragon in their kitchen."  
She giggled. "Well, sorry if I'm a bit skeptical!"  
"You won't be when you see the scale and the booklet. I'm sure Aisling will want to share it with everyone she comes in contact with."  
"I'm sure," she smiled, downing the rest of her tea and holding her hand out for Eugene's. He held his index finger up and tipped his head back, gulping down the rest of what was in his cup before giving it to her. She took it and set them both in the washbasin, plus the spoon and boiling pot she'd used. "I'll be right back," she said, slipping outside to draw some more water in a bucket. She dumped it in the washbasin and then took a small knife, paring a small amount of the harsh soap bar and dropping the peelings into the water, swishing it around with her hands before grabbing a washcloth.

"Why don't you let it for the few hours until the maids come to prepare breakfast? You're probably tired," Eugene said.  
"Oh, call me silly, but Emilie's coming back tomorrow and I wanted to make sure everything was spic and span. It'll just take me a second. If you want to head to bed, I'll be up in a few minutes."  
He shook his head. "I'll wait." Something about his tone made her glance up questioningly at him.  
"What?"  
"What?" he asked in return.  
"You sounded kind of..different. I don't know. Indulgent. Or maybe just patient." she shrugged. "Forget it, I guess."  
He slipped his arms around her waist and rested his chin on her shoulder. "Maybe it's because you reminded me of one more reason why I love you so much. Most royalty would make a mess and leave it. But then there's you, making tea for both of us and cleaning up after, when you're probably exhausted as it is."  
"Well, I couldn't sleep because I was worried about you, and now I'm excited because you're home, so I'm not really tired. And it's the right thing to do."  
"Exactly," he said, watching her swish one of the mugs vigorously to try to rinse it, "that's exactly why you're so amazing, though, because a lot of people know what the right thing to do is, but they don't do it."  
She shrugged the shoulder his head wasn't resting on. "I guess,"  
He gave her another quick squeeze and kissed the spot behind her ear that typically made her giggle. "Can I help with anything?"  
"You can kill the fire," she said, "if you want. I'll be done in a second, I'll wipe them dry before putting them away and leave the water for the others later on."  
"Okay, my dear lady. I'll kill the fire for my damsel in distress," he teased lamely.  
She snorted. "You're terrible. I was at a loss for a better word."  
"I know," he grinned, catching her into a quick kiss when she leaned her head back to look at him. When the fire had been put out, he announced it with, "I've sufficiently slayed the fire, m'lady."

The brunette tried to hold back a laugh, but only ended up laughing a bit too hard for that poor of a joke. He chuckled, eyes dancing with the reward of not only a laugh, but a smile too. "I don't know why I even try anymore," she sighed, leaning on the counter after wringing her cloth out.  
"If you wouldn't reward me with that laugh or that smile of yours, I wouldn't tease you so much," he said, standing in front of her and holding his arms out. She slipped into them and slouched up against him with a dramatic flair, yawning. "Maybe that chamomile tea did the trick."  
He smiled, hugging her for a minute before tipping her chin up and giving her that third kiss. She grinned. "What, didn't think you'd get the three kisses you wished for?"  
She tsked her tongue. "Don't you ever stop teasing?"  
"Not if I'm happy or trying to distract myself from something. In this case, I'm happy, so...sorry."  
She grinned. "Well, it's good to know you're happy, at least, I guess."  
"You _guess_?" he asked.  
"Two can play at the teasing game, kind sir."  
"Really? But I'm the master of all teasing. It's not a fair game."  
The friendly banter continued quietly until she opened the door to their bedroom, greeted by a wailing baby. She gasped quietly and raced over to Megan's cradle, scooping the red-faced baby up and cuddling her. "Oh, sweetheart, I'm so sorry..you woke up all alone and I wasn't in here...shh, sweetie. I'm sorry!"  
"Does she need fed?" Eugene asked.  
"I fed her at one," Rapunzel looked up at him and spoke over the sobbing.  
"I'll go make her a bottle. It's about time for her next bottle anyway," he said, turning and practically sprinting down the hallway.

Rapunzel paced back and forth, rocking Megan in her arms to try to calm the cries. A few minutes later, Eugene came back in with a bottle of goat's milk, holding his arms out.  
"Thanks," Rapunzel said, relieved.  
"I'll feed her," he offered, waggling his fingers on his free, outstretched hand. She nodded and handed the wriggling, whimpering bundle over to him and he presented her with the bottle. "There we go."  
"Thank you again," Rapunzel grinned, watching Megan quiet down to suck at the cloth-covered bottle.  
"Yep," he nodded, looking down at Megan with a smile. "I wanted to see my little troublemaker."  
"She's been pretty good," she affectionately stroked the tuft of auburn hair poking from the blanket.  
"But of course she has," he teased quietly, watching the child's dark eyes slowly drift back shut as her belly filled with the lukewarm milk. When she had finished her bottle and fallen back asleep in his arms, he gently transferred her back to her cradle and let his hand hover over her torso until he was sure she would stay asleep. He turned back to Rapunzel and smiled, striding over and pulling her into his arms for a moment. "Let's get to bed before it's time to get up again." His wide-mouthed yawn underlined the sentence.  
She nodded, snorting through her nose with amusement. "It's practically time to get up anyway! Maybe the maids will be late to making breakfast."  
"And the kids will be late getting up," Eugene added, going to the bed and flopping onto his back.  
"And Mother will forget about the lesson she wanted me to attend tomorrow. Or today. Whatever it is," Rapunzel mumbled, burrowing under the blankets for a whole two and a half hours' worth of sleep.


	69. Chapter 69: A Sugary Thanksgiving

**A/N: thanks once more for the reviews, follows, and favorites!  
Guest reviewer "Guest" : I'm not done with Berk, don't worry - we'll be going back at a later chapter and I wanted to save the majority of Berk for when Eugene takes Aisling there, as hinted a couple chapters ago ;)  
Guest reviewer "Theoneforever": Oh my goodness...that's a lot of reading. Thank you very much!  
**  
Time seemed to fast-forward to Thanksgiving, and Rapunzel found herself in the kitchen once more, cooking for the orphanage. She'd recently come back from a quick trip with her father to the island below them, Mallistaire; so the kids were simply clinging to her still. This, however, meant that she could spend some quality time teaching Walter and Aisling both how to cook.  
"Now, you sprinkle just a little bit of cinnamon over the pumpkin, Walt. Rose-y-girl, let's put all of these apple slices into the other pie crust." she grinned, kissing both of them on the tops of their heads as they worked alongside her. "Good job, guys."  
Walter turned his freckled face up towards her, his face split into a smile. "This is fun. Were you guys the ones who always bring Thanksgiving dinner to the orphanage?"  
"Yep," Rapunzel nodded, dumping sugar over the apple slices and then sprinkling it with cinnamon. "Rose, can you get me a fork, please?"  
She nodded, dashing for the silverware drawers and returning with a fork. Rapunzel laid the other pie crust over top of the apple slices, letting Walter clumsily pinch the edges together while she pricked a pattern the shape of the Corona sun into the upper pie crust.  
"Do I have to go help take stuff over?" Walter asked.  
"No, sweetie, unless you want to come?" she asked.  
He shook his head vehemently.  
Rapunzel nodded, taking the pies over to the open fire and setting the pie plates over a metal sheet.  
"Princess - can you help me get this bag of sugar down, please?" Emilie asked. She brushed her hair away from her face in frustration, and Rapunzel looked way...way...way up to see the sack of sugar on top of the supply shelf.  
"Right away," Rapunzel nodded, hurrying over. "Kids, stay back in case something drastic happens."  
Aisling and Walter took two steps back and gawked.  
"How'll we get _that _down? Eugene put it up there," Emilie stretched to her full height, reaching for it, and puffed, irritated.  
"I'll go get him-"  
"No, it's probably exactly what he _wants_! He probably put it up there so we'd have to go get him and he'd get an excuse to be in here annoying the chef and hanging around with you." Emilie laughed.

Rapunzel giggled, her face turning red. "He probably did. The turkey..."  
"What about the turkeys, dear?" an older maid swung around to look at them, which were on a turning spit over another fire. "Speaking of which, I need to go tell Eugene to bring one more in. What of the turkeys, though?"  
"Nothing, Imelda. Sorry!" Rapunzel bit her lip to keep from grinning. Turning back to Emilie, she assessed the situation. "If you get a stool, I'll climb up there and get it down."  
"It weights almost as much as you do, though!" Emilie exclaimed. "Let me."  
"No, you're stronger and you need to be holding onto that stool so I don't fall," Rapunzel said.  
Emilie nodded. It seemed to be an infallible plan. So she got a stool and held onto the three legs of it firmly as Rapunzel scrambled up on top of it, reaching carefully for the sack. When she slid it off of the shelf, she realized just how heavy it was.  
"Oof!" she exclaimed, stepping backwards in hopes of maintaining her balance. That's how she landed on her back with sugar spilling all over her. "Oh _no_!"  
Emilie was over in a second. "You didn't say you were taking the emergency exit, silly!" she teased. "Are you okay?"  
"Yes, but the sugar isn't!" she cried.  
Emilie shook her head, propping the bag back up and scooping the white stuff back into the bag, getting rid of the stuff that had made immediate contact with the floor. "It's fine! We still have too much of the stuff. You, however, need to go outside and shake that sugar off of yourself. You're going to have it all through your dress, hair, everything, if you don't. Shut your eyes so you don't get any in there!" she ordered, helping the princess to her feet. A shower of sugar fell off of her, and she hurried to clean that up before she went outside.  
Aisling and Walter chortled in the corner, hiding their faces in their hands so as to not be noticed.  
"I heard that, you two," Rapunzel teased, tossing her apron at them teasingly as she hurried outside.

Outside, she shook herself like a dog, fluffing her hair and shaking her skirt briskly, brushing at her bodice to get rid of the tiny granules clinging to the outside.  
"What happened to you? It looks like you have your own personal snowstorm,"  
Eugene had been rounding the corner, en route to the turkey coop to get one last unlucky soul for the spit, and had seen Rapunzel trying to rid herself of the sugar.  
"You know full well, sir," she rolled her eyes towards him, hoping her grumpy facade would stay.  
"What?"  
"The bag of sugar!" she exclaimed. "You put it up on that really super high shelf, and-"  
His eyes widened. "_You _got that down?"  
"Yes!" she said, exasperated. "Not after I fell, though, off of my stool! How did you even get that _up _there?!"  
He strode over. "I thought Roy got the supplies down every morning."  
"Well, he does, but we ran out," she said. "And we didn't want to call you in because Emilie figured you did that on purpose!"  
He snorted as if the idea was ludicrous. "Why?"  
"So you could come annoy the chef!"  
"Well, I put it up there, yes, but I thought Roy would get it down for you guys, or you'd come get someone. I didn't do it on purpose so I could irritate the chef, I assure you. Are you hurt?" He asked, coming to stand in front of her.  
"No, except for having a seventy pound bag of sugar fall on me," she rubbed her midsection, "and for all the sugar that dumped on me!"  
He picked a few granules out of her hair. "Sorry."  
She sighed, letting her false attitude slip as the sigh turned into a laugh that made her midsection twinge. "I guess it wasn't completely your fault. It was all of our faults."

"Well, yell for me _next _time you need to get something heavy off of the shelf. Or Roy..even your father, for goodness' sake!" he kissed her forehead and then licked his lips, a confused look crossing his face before his eyes shone the way they always did before a corny joke. "Despite your fake attitude, you're even _sweeter _now."  
She gasped, swatting his arm and laughing. "You're so awful! Go...get a turkey, or whatever you were headed to do."  
"Before you throw a bag of sugar at me and knock me out?" he ran and ducked into the coop before she could run after him.

At dinner, the twins were ecstatic to see Rapunzel again after a long day. They both half toddled, half stumbled their way over to her when she came into the dining hall. She knelt down, smiling. "There are my little babies! You guys missed me, hmm? Poor dears!" she cuddled one in each arm and kissed their cheeks before settling them both in her lap at the table. Aisling sat beside Eugene, and Walter sat beside Rapunzel. The Queen held Megan, as she didn't even want to give her up long enough to eat! As always, they shared a meal together and talked about three things they were each thankful for that year. The King mentioned he was happy to be handing over the reins to the kingdom in just over one month, and that the war with Eire had blown over in a short amount of time. The Queen echoed this as well.  
"I'm glad I was adopted, even though I was a bit of a brat. And for the castle and this food!" Walter grinned. "And my sisters and brothers."  
"That's four things," Aisling pointed out.  
"I can count," he threw back.  
"_Three_-"  
"Aisling," Eugene could barely suppress a smile.  
"What?" she batted her eyes innocently. "_I_'m thankful for everyone. That's all. And books,"  
"That's only _two. _You need-" Walter paused and went back to his plate before he could get reprimanded for doing the same thing Aisling had.  
The teasing banter between the two went on throughout dinner as they tried to out-knowledge one another as much as six year olds could; they practically had to be dragged to bed despite their sleepiness.

Rapunzel shut Aisling's door and leaned up against it, sighing. "Those two are something else," she murmured to Eugene, who was shutting Jo and Zack's door.  
"Don't I know it," he chuckled, shaking his head. He strode over, yawning, and held his arms out. She grinned, slipping into his arms and burying her face in his vest. "I wouldn't have life any other way, though."  
"Me neither," she looked up and kissed his jaw. "I can't wait to see what Christmas is like _next _month!"  
"And right after that, it's hunker-down-and-get-to-business-ruling-a-kingdom time," he said, yawning again. "Just the thought of that makes me sleepy."


	70. Chapter 70: It's Coronation Day!

**A/N: Hey guys! Sorry, took me a bit to get this bugger up. I just wanted to really think it through! Thanks once more for all your reviews, follows/favorites, etc. They truly mean a lot, every one of them! Just a note here; while the conversations during the coronation party may seem like useless fillers right now, they do hold quite a bit of foreshadowing. ;) Also, I'm not trying to make a point or offend anyone with the makeup thing later on, but I did read somewhere that some people thought that make up (or face paint, as it was called in the 16-1800s) was worn only by dishonest women. I'm just throwing a historical twist in, not trying to hate on anyone or anything.  
**

* * *

Sleep? The night before the grand coronation day? Impossible. Sleep is not exactly simpatico with nervousness and worry, you see.  
So when Rapunzel woke up at four AM, five hours before the ceremony at nine o'clock, she wondered if she could convince her parents to wait another day or two or, oh, maybe a year or ten. She knew, though, that it wouldn't be fair to them or to any of the dignitaries, kings, queens, princes, and princesses that had traveled the _world _to see this coronation. Duty called...but couldn't duty have the wrong address? Time? Date? Something? She curled up on her side, burying her face in her arms and groaning. At this point, perhaps she could even convince herself that it wasn't the right date, and she'd just had a really vivid dream that her parents were handing over the reign of the kingdom today. That would work _if _she would've been able to sleep long enough to even dream! By the time Eugene woke up, she was ready to bury her head underneath their thick blankets and either hide all day long or convince herself that everything would go smoothly. Knowing she was awake - by the amount of fidgeting, tossing and turning, and let's not forget the quiet grumbles she didn't even know she was really uttering - anyone within a three mile distance could probably tell she was awake -, he automatically leaned over her, peppering her cheeks with kisses to try to make her grin.

She rubbed her eyes, turning to look at him. "You're up, I take it?"  
"Mhm. Stop worrying, would you?" he grinned and added a peck on the tip of her freckled nose.  
"How-"  
"I'm a psychic, don't you know that?" he teased.  
"You're nervous, too, aren't you?" she asked. No way could he be this cheery this early in the morning.  
"Maybe." he turned onto his back and yawned. "Today came way too fast."  
She settled on her back, too, and stared up at the ceiling. "Agreed. Did you sleep any? I couldn't."  
"I slept an entire hour or two, maybe," he said. "I know you couldn't."  
"Sorry," she bit her lip. How on earth would today pan out? Would they fall asleep during the ceremony? Drop something important? Forget something important?  
"No worries," he said. "What time is it, around five?"  
"Probably," she swallowed a yawn and rubbed at her burning eyes.

"Hmmh. So we have exactly four hours left of freedom, basically," he joked.  
"More or less," she said. Finally, she just sat up. "Are we ready for this? I mean, I guess we'll have to be sooner or later, but what if something's wrong? What if we mess up?"  
"We've had training pounded into us for the past year or so for this. We'll be okay," he sat and stretched. "I'm sure we'll make mistakes, but we'll be okay."  
"And how will I act around _all those people_? I'm only used to the people from our country! Our _village! _And..I know I'll mess something up today because I know I'm not as mannerly as most royalty-"  
"And I'm not?" he laughed. "If we screw up, chances are we'll do it together. I'll take 65% of the blame."  
She grinned, slinging her arms around him and burying her face in his shoulder. "No. Fifty-fifty even. And will _we _be the same? I don't want us to hardly spend time with the kids or each other, or turn to arguing and unhappiness because of the extra load."  
"We won't," he reassured her. "We won't let any of that happen."  
"I know we've gone over it before, but..."  
"You're worried. I'm a little concerned, too, but we'll figure things out as we go along."  
"Yeah," she nodded. "I'm sorry. I'm overreacting again, I'm sure."  
"Nah," he shook his head, but then sucked in his upper lip, chewing on it a moment. "It sounds like there are people up. Shall we get up as well?"  
Rapunzel nodded, yawning. "Okay. I suppose we should get the kiddos up and fed."

They did just that, still in their nightclothes. There wasn't much purpose to changing when they'd simply go straight from breakfast to their rooms once more, to get ready. Rapunzel couldn't possibly imagine how simply getting dressed could last for two or three hours, even with the five kids, but she shrugged it off and followed her mother's nervous lead. An hour later, they were fed and Rapunzel took the girls to dress them; Eugene the boys. The King and Queen went to get dressed themselves, and to cover a few last-minute details.  
"You're gonna be a Queen, Momma?" Aisling asked, eyes wide.  
"Yup, sweetie. And you're going to be announced as a princess consort. You, Megan, and Walter. Zack and Jo will be announced as prince and princess as well. We're covering all bases all at once," Rapunzel smiled. "Hold up your arms!"  
Aisling did as she was told, and Rapunzel slipped the heavy, cream-colored dress on, slipping the thread loops of the pointed long sleeves over the child's small middle fingers. Next, an overdress of deep purple was fastened around her plump frame. Finally, Rapunzel braided her long brown hair - which reached to her hips - and coiled it into a tight bun.  
"There, sweetie. What do you think? _I _think you're gorgeous, darling!" she smiled, hugging her daughter and holding up a small mirror so she could see herself.  
Aisling ignored the mirror and twirled, watching her skirts plume out. "It's soo pretty, Momma! Thank you!" she grinned toothily and reached for another quick hug.  
"You're welcome, baby girl. You're growing up too fast, by the way. Now, if you want to slip on your stockings and those shiny black shoes, you'll be all set!" Rapunzel said. She looked around and saw Jo, who was toddling about pretty well these days, and grabbed her up, blowing raspberries on her stomach. "You're too bad! C'mere, c'mere, c'mere, you have to get dressed up!"  
Jo giggled and wrapped her chubby - and slightly sticky, she noticed - arms around her neck as much as she could. Rapunzel cleaned her up and then put her in a pale yellow dress with thick, long sleeves and then tying tiny purple ribbons into her short, brown hair. She put thick stockings on her and a set of shoes that were dyed purple, to match the hair ribbons. Finally, little Megan was fed one more time, dressed in stockings, a long-sleeved purple dress, and bundled in a cream-colored blanket that was patterned with the Corona sun. Rapunzel was already tired of seeing the Corona symbol today, although she was sure she'd see so much more of it by the end of the day.

When the girls were dressed, she enlisted Aisling to keep track of Jo so she wouldn't get messy, and then went to get dressed herself.  
A thick, cream-colored dress and purple overdress was in stock for Rapunzel, much like Aisling's. A cloak with a long train she fastened around her shoulders with a purple brooch. Finally, she brushed her hair back into place and fixed the pair of high-heel shoes that her mother had set out earlier. Shaking her head, she pulled on her stockings and then set the shoes carefully out of sight before putting on a pair of flat, black leather shoes instead. She slipped on a pair of cream gloves and then went outside to the balcony, peering over the ledge to see how many people were gathering already.  
Too many.  
Squeaking, she slipped back inside and left to check up on the girls.

At eight-fifteen, Laurel finally caught up with Rapunzel.  
"Are you ready, dear?" she asked. She wore dark red lip stain and a grand, billowing dress, and her eyes were calm and commanding. "Oh! Oh, we can't have this! Emilie, get me the paint chest."  
"Paint chest?" Rapunzel asked.  
"Lip stain, powders, chalks," her mother explained. Emilie was back in a moment, and her mother flipped the wooden chest open. "We mustn't have you out there with such baggy eyes and a tired face! And those freckles, oh goodness!" her mother worked quickly, slathering creams and powders over her face to smooth her face out, using a thick red balm to stain Rapunzel's lips, and chalked a neutral color underneath her eyes to mask the dark circles. When Rapunzel thought if one more ounce of the stuff was placed on her face, it would crack and fall off in sheets, her mother finally stepped away.  
"That'll have to do," she said. "Come, come, or we'll be late!"  
Rapunzel trotted beside her mother, making sure to not hitch her dress up in case her mother would notice the different shoes. When they got to the hallway, Eugene was already there with the boys.  
Rapunzel gasped. "You look amazing, guys! Oh my!" she grinned, straightening Walter's jacket and then giving both he and Zack hugs. They wore matching yellowish cream jackets with deep purple pants and black boots that came to their knees; and Eugene wore the inverse: deep purple jacket, pale pants, and black boots. Eugene gave her a surprised expression, but held what he was about to say.

They spilled out onto the balcony. Cheers rose from the crowd in a near-deafening roar. Rapunzel's hands shook in their silk gloves. Eugene barely pushed down the urge to turn on his heel and leave, instead grabbing for one of Rapunzel's hands. Aisling loved it, though. She waved to the crowd, but Walter hung back, holding Megan as his face paled with nervousness. Emilie and Linda, another maid, held Zack and Jo. Rapunzel wondered if the crowd could hear her heart battering against her ribcage. She told herself that she knew most of the people already, but she knew it was wrong. A woman from the Middle-East and her husband, the king; for example. And a group of thirteen men who looked nearly identical. _And _a woman with blond hair tucked into a bun, and her raven-haired husband.  
The bishop performed the ceremony to remove Laurel and James from the throne. As their crowns were removed and placed gently on plush, velvet pillows, the crowd screamed, "Long live King James! Long live Queen Laurel!"  
And then it was Rapunzel's turn. She took the scepter, a long metal rod with an amethyst at the top and smaller ones studding the length of the rod, and stood in deathly silence as the ancient chant was spoken by the bishop in French. She felt the heavy, new crown nestle in her short hair, and wondered if it could drop off of her head, tighten around her shoulders, and cinch her into a deadly grip. But then it was Eugene's turn to follow the same procedure, and the bishop was removing the scepter from her hand with an almost rough tug. She couldn't decipher or comprehend the odd stare the bishop gave to her. Eugene's gloved hands shook as he held the scepter, but as soon as it was removed from his grip, he grabbed his wife's hand once more.  
"Long live Prince Consort Eugene! Long live Queen Rapunzel!" the crowd cried, and then screams, whistles, and shouts deafened everyone.

Rapunzel nearly collapsed to the floor of the balcony with relief, but managed to stay upright as she watched the bishop and the royal jewel handlers place five petite crowns and tiaras upon the five children's heads, even little Megan's; announcing them as Princess Johanna Fitzherbert, Prince Zachary Fitzherbert, Prince Consort Walter Fitzherbert, Princess Consort Aisling Fitzherbert, and Princess Consort Megan Fitzherbert. And then the ceremony was over.

The crowd dispersed for the thirty-minute break before the royal celebration began in the castle. Rapunzel and Eugene had decided to let the children choose if they wanted to take part or not - against the Queen's instructions...or, rather, against Rapunzel's _mother's_ instructions, now - and Walter immediately left for his room, promising he would take care of Megan. Jo and Zack were bent on following Aisling around, and Aisling was too wound up to _not _take part in the celebration.  
An announcer called for Rapunzel and Eugene in the center of the ballroom of the Corona castle, and the crowd cheered.  
Rapunzel swallowed, but smiled and waved all the same. Eugene held her free hand in a death grip.  
And then the visitors crowded in. Dignitaries. Kings and Queens. Princes and Princesses. Villagers. Villagers from everywhere.  
Among the crowd were Queen Elsa and her sister, Anna - and her husband Kristoff -, Queen Belle and King Adam and their _nine _children, and Queen Merida and her three brothers. Though Hamish, Harris, and Hubert were four years older than Aisling, the foursome got along very well and were soon tearing through the ballroom, playing with some of Belle's older children. Rapunzel and Eugene held onto Zack and Jo at this point, and if anyone wanted to shake hands or bow, they'd have to shake Zack's hand, too. He was definitely the more outgoing one, grinning charmingly at everyone and hiding his face to play peek-a-boo. Jo was more reserved, watching everyone quietly as she sucked her fist. At one point, one of the thirteen strange brothers - Harry, Rapunzel thought was his name - tried to make friends with Jo, and she buried her face in Rapunzel's cloak and sobbed.

Dances went on throughout the day. When Laurel and James came and offered to take Jo and Zack for awhile, Eugene quickly pulled Rapunzel into a slower dance.  
"We haven't done any dancing in awhile," he said.  
"I miss it," Rapunzel smiled. "But this is fun. How are you holding up?"  
"I can't wait for everyone to leave," he leaned in to whisper. She giggled. "And you?"  
"Okay, I suppose. Everyone's kind of friendly, but - have you noticed some of our villagers casting, I don't know, odd looks at me? And the bishop earlier?"  
"I noticed, yes," Eugene's eyebrows furrowed. "What do you think that's about?"  
"No clue," she sighed and rested her chin carefully against his shoulder as they danced. She watched some of the bright skirts swirl by slowly before adding, "Do you think it's because Mother made me wear chalks and powders and lip stain, whereas I normally don't? That kind of stuff is frowned upon in modern royalty." she said.  
"Could be," Eugene nodded. "Why did she make you, anyway?"  
"My tired eyes and freckles," she said. "She was worrying."  
"Oh, your freckles are just fine! And it's surprising she didn't come after _me _with that powder," he said, and Rapunzel focused on his own dark circles around his eyes.  
"Hmm. I'd like to see you try to get away from her when she's bent on something," Rapunzel grinned.  
"Hm, I'd rather not," he grinned. "That powder stuff's annoying, though. I mean, you look fine with it, but you look fine without, too. And I can't even kiss you anywhere because I'll mess it up!"  
"Oh, poor you," Rapunzel teased. "You might have to wait 'til I can wash it off."  
"It's awful, I'm telling you," he threw back, happy to see her grin. "I'm sure they're just surprised you're wearing it. No biggie."  
"Okay," she nodded, and felt a hand tap her shoulder.  
"May I cut in?" a tall, dark-haired boy from Denmark asked.  
Eugene regarded him carefully, but then realized how greedy he was being. He stepped away and left him dance with his wife while he went to check on Jo and Zack. Aisling found him in that amount of time, so she stood on his feet and they danced...at least, until Harris asked to dance with her.  
Eugene was a little surprised. "Okay, bud. But no kissing," he teased, watching both of the young kids' faces go red.  
"Daddy!" Aisling gasped, giggling and hugging his waist before letting Harris take her hand.  
_She's only six years old. Well, going on seven this year. She's not attracted to the boy. She's not attracted to the boy. The boy's only ten. He's not attracted to her. She's only six. She's-_  
"Looks like yer daughter's havin' fun," a voice broke into his frantic, fatherly thoughts. Queen Merida.  
"Oh! Um, yeah. She's excited to have some kids her age around to play with," Eugene grinned, rubbing the back of his neck as he tried to snap himself out of his thoughts. "How's Scotland been?"  
"Wonderful. Thank ye. And Corona?" she asked. Her wild red hair was pulled into a bun and she wore a dress made of clan Dun'Broch's kilt pattern.  
"Spectacular," he nodded. "Have you had time to talk with Rapunzel yet today? There are so many people here I can't remember who we've talked to and who we haven't."  
"I haven't, no," she shook her head. "Too busy makin' sure my brothers don't get into trouble! I'll have to chat with 'er, though. She's grand."  
"That she is," he nodded, folding his arms and searching the crowd to see Rapunzel was talking to a group of small girls. One little boy pushed his way into the group and asked for a dance, apparently, because Rapunzel acted flattered, taking his hands and guiding him into a bit of a lively dance.

There it was. Yet another reason to love the girl. She could be talking to only the royalty, getting to know people, but instead, she took time to talk with the young children, _villager's_ children, as well. He didn't worry about the affectionate smile that spread across his face.  
Prince Adam sidled over to talk, as well. "Congratulations," he said, breaking into Eugene's thoughts once more. Eugene jumped in surprise, looking at him and then shaking his hand.  
"Thank you, sir. Any tips?" he asked.  
"Don't get too caught up in it. A kingdom's around for hundreds of years, but family isn't," he looked towards his wife and kids, who were at the banquet table, eating small bits of fruit and cookies.  
"Got that right," Eugene nodded. Jo and Zack were asleep in Laurel and James' arms, and Walter had crept down to peek in on the party...only to dash back out of the ballroom, mostly unnoticed. "Speaking of which, how will you possibly decide which one of your kids to ascend to the throne?"  
"Out of our nine?" Adam grinned. "Well, not many _want _the throne. Our third-oldest, Eloisa, wants to, but the others, that we know of, don't care for the throne. They want normal tasks, lives. It makes it easy! Unless all of our young ones who don't have an opinion yet form them in favor of the throne. Then it will get tricky."  
"Draw straws," Eugene joked.  
"There's always that," he chuckled, gulping whatever was in his tall glass. "What about you? Planning on any more kids? You have a small brood. Three that I've seen today,"  
"Five. The other two don't want to be around," he said. "And we haven't really talked about any more."  
"Ah. Wonderful family as it is," Adam nodded. "You must come up to France sometime; Rapunzel has, but you haven't, I don't believe?"  
"Nope," he shook his head. "That was before the twins were born...I was busy with a certain three-year-old girl who was incredibly upset about Momma's absence."  
"Oh, I bet," Adam chuckled. Belle waved at him, so he nodded and turned back to Eugene. "I'd best see what she's up to. Best of luck!"  
"Thanks, and you too," Eugene nodded.

Rapunzel was pulled aside by the bishop.  
"I am very disappointed in you, Your Highness."  
"What?" Rapunzel's eyes widened. "What have I done? I'm-I'm-I apologize if I did anything wrong!"  
"The powders on your face indicate you are hiding something. Only untrustworthy women, only ones who have terrible things to hide, wear it in those amounts. They're the only ones with reason to!"  
Rapunzel blinked. Was he joking? Drunk? Certainly not. "I had to wear it because I didn't sleep last night and needed to look a little brighter today."  
"Exactly. And what were you doing last night? Out making a fool of yourself at some pub? I hate to imagine a wonderful lady like you doing anything terrible, but I have also seen you around some rather unsavory men."  
Her green eyes widened. "The gentlemen that run Attilla's bakery?"  
"Yes," he nodded firmly.  
"I apologize, sir, but you are completely wrong. I do not drink alcohol - I haven't a _sip _today, and neither has my husband - and I am completely faithful and honest to my family. I did not sleep last night because I was concerned that something would go wrong today. Ruling a kingdom isn't the easiest thing, I hope you know, and you can ask my husband for verification. He knew I was with him all night." she said firmly.  
"Only the evil wear such copious amounts of the powders you are wearing," he said just as firmly. "I will not question your ruling, but you will not be permitted in my chapel! The villagers are very disappointed in you and fear the worst of you."  
Of course he couldn't ban them from the chapel. But he could, however, make their lives miserable, and all over a little too much concealing powders. Rapunzel knew rumors were likely spreading already.  
"Sir, why don't I lead you to my husband? He doesn't know of your belief right now, but he is, however, very good at figuring things out. He would know if I was up to an immoral activity." She took his arm and led him quietly over to Eugene. "Eugene?"  
"Yes?" he turned away from a villager and grinned at her. "What's up? And what's with the bishop?"  
"Your wife is evil, sir, your Highness. If I may be so bold, she is. Women that wear so much of the facial paint are dishonest and completely immoral! She's-"  
Eugene shook his head, hiding the rage boiling up inside of him at the mere suggestion. "Sir, I know my wife, and I know where she's at almost every second of every day. If I don't, Emilie or her parents or the kids do. She's never alone. _Ever_. And she likes it that way. It's not because we don't trust her. She's friends with everyone, she doesn't prejudice as to whom she talks to. And she most certainly does not wear powder any day except for the one day out of, what, almost twenty-seven years, that she happened to have trouble sleeping on the night that coincided with her coronation. If you want to complain to someone about _that_, you can talk to Laurel. She's right over there," Eugene jabbed a finger in Laurel's general direction. "Thank you, sir, but she's not partaking in immoral activities."

The bishop left, red faced and embarrassed. Rapunzel took a deep breath to calm her quivering insides. _Her. Immoral. Unfaithful and dishonest! Evil! _Eugene caught on to how upset she really was, and tapped her chin gently so she'd look up at him.  
"Thank you," she said quietly. "I can't believe-oh, what if there's already a rumor-"  
"It'll get tamped out," he said. "He's just a silly old man who hasn't much of an exciting life." he pulled her into a quick hug.  
"I know," she nodded, sucking in a deep breath. "I'm just really taken aback."  
"I am too, to be honest," he laughed suddenly. "You, evil? Immoral? Maybe _he's _had too much to drink. See why I never touch the stuff?"  
"Mmhmm," Rapunzel shook her head. "Where's Aisling?"  
"Last I saw, dancing with a boy," he waggled his eyebrows to make her laugh. "Merida's brother. Or, one of them."  
"Oooh," Rapunzel grinned, searching the crowd to catch sight of Aisling.  
"Speaking of which, you might catch up with Merida. She's here, too, you know," he said.  
Rapunzel's eyes brightened again. "Maybe I will! Come with?"  
"I'm up for it," he grinned, letting her tug him through the crowd to find the Scottish queen.


	71. Chapter 71: Sunshine and Quarrels

It had been one of those mornings. One of those mornings in which Eugene and Rapunzel wondered why they even tried; everyone's had one of those mornings at one point in their life or another.  
It was March. Things had been running smoothly with the kingdom aside from a minor rumor surrounding Rapunzel's face powders at the coronation; and in all honesty, it was fine still, but they'd had Laurel and James' assistance since January. In February, they - Rapunzel's parents - had admitted to a dream they'd had as of late: traveling the world. Yes, they _had _traveled a good part of the world, but they had done so under the pressure of business trips. They wanted to sight-see and enjoy themselves. March was their first trip, and they were en route to Denmark. That left Eugene and Rapunzel on their own completely...and this was only the second day.

Aisling spilled milk all over her dress and a rug, when she really shouldn't have been in that specific area with food or drink anyway. She'd left a bawling mess after Eugene had given her a gentle scolding. He dutifully cleaned up the expensive rug as best as he could before the maids could get to it, during which time Zack and Jo got into a food-throwing contest in the dining hall, unobserved as Rapunzel was in search of some soap for the rug. Megan, who was very adept at crawling by now, decided to disappear in the castle and _that _led to a frantic search to find exactly where she had gone. Walter had slipped off dutifully to his lessons right after breakfast and managed to escape the mess. He only caught wind of part of the issue when Aisling appeared to her lessons late, puffy-eyed and sniffling. She'd gotten a scolding from their tutor over being late, as well.

Eugene, frustrated, had to rush to finalize a couple of documents before - yep, you guessed it - their first tea. The royal family of Ireland was coming in less than three hours, and these documents were _really important. _That, of course, left Rapunzel to clean up Zack and Jo, find the disgruntled chef in order to ask for some sweets and tea to be prepared for the guests, and finally, ask - or maybe plead - Ingrid, the young new maid, to watch Megan and the twins while she cleaned _herself _up. Ten minutes before the tea, Rapunzel had to leave the meeting room and track Eugene down, somehow managing to keep the twins following behind her like a trail of ducklings as she carried Megan. She'd seen the handwritten documents at the table, and decided that if Eugene wanted to bail out of this today, she was going to haul him in the meeting room by the ear. She pushed open the doors to their office, and saw he wasn't there. Groaning, she kicked her shoes off and jogged to the library, trying to make sure Jo and Zack kept along with her. Luckily, they decided it was a game and ran after her, giggling and shrieking gaily. Maybe this would tucker them out.  
"Eugene Fitzherbert Junior." she stormed inside impatiently, finding him at the furthest corner of the library. "You come be a prince consort this minute, or I promise you I'll haul you out by the ear and _make _you."

He hastily stuffed the book aside. "I'll watch the kids, if you want. You can handle it, can't you? Your mother always did while your dad hid and we always made ourselves scarce."  
She huffed. This was the last straw. "First of all, you can help watch the kids while still inside the meeting room. Second of all, I think you can step up to the plate a bit with this. And third of all, I am not my mother!"  
"I wrote those documents for three hours last night," he said carefully, "and for another one today. All you have to do is be your normal self and bring the documents up."  
Her eyebrows flew up, but she didn't want to start on an argument, not when Ireland's royal family was probably arriving right this minute! "We'll discuss this later, but for now, get off your backside and come with me, for goodness' sake, it won't kill you!"  
He knew better than to question her, but wasn't all too pleased at her snippy comment.

The tea went off without barely a hitch, and they managed to present themselves as a happy new prince consort and queen who were simply _thrilled _to have them. Two hours later, after the royal family had safely exited the castle, Rapunzel put Jo, Zack, and Megan in their beds for a nap before lunch. Eugene knew there was no point in leaving the meeting room; he'd just wait for her to come back. And come back she did. He was slightly terrified at how the slim princess-no, _queen_ \- could slam that huge, heavy wooden door. He was officially in for it.  
"You are a prince consort, Eugene, you can't just write up documents and then let me do the rest of the work! I'm not the classic charmer!"  
He rubbed his forehead. "I'm not, either. Royal people who act like royalty..they aren't exactly my thing. You get along far better-"  
"But you were the one who wrote up what you wanted to discuss. I had no clue, I didn't read those documents before the meeting! How could you expect me to automatically know, when you didn't even tell me what you were planning on discussing over the tea when you found out they were coming?" she asked. "And a little help would have been nice this morning."  
"I had to finish writing that up after cleaning that stupid rug," he said, standing up.  
"And then what? For almost an hour? Hide like a little boy who knows he's in trouble?" she asked. She was very animated and her green eyes flashed angrily.  
"Maybe I coulda used some help writing that, too, instead of you helping Emilie yesterday with her chores. I'm new at this, too!" he threw back.  
"You've spent far more time with Father learning about official documents, laws, and whatever else junk. And if you wanted help, why didn't you just ask?" she snapped. "I'm not a psychic!"

"But you're much better with people than I am, despite what you think. People _love _you. You did most of the talking at that stupid meeting anyway, today-"  
"But you presented the information in those things you wrote. Exactly what I thought you would need to do!" She drew a deep breath to continue, but then stopped herself as she saw what they were doing. She was nearly screaming her head off at him over something that had gone over without a hitch anyway. She was as much at fault as he was. And how many times had she made up some stupid excuse so she wouldn't have to sit through tea with her mother, anyway? She was overreacting, hypocritical, and she hated it. Eugene watched her anger slowly melt and his own temper quieted. She saw the guilt and a hint of hurt in her husband's brown eyes, her own eyes filled with tears. "We're doing the same exact thing we promised each other we'd never do. No, _I'm _doing the exact thing we promised we'd never do. I'm sorry, I-"  
Eugene swallowed and shook his head, sighing. "No, we're both at fault. I'm sorry for hiding from my responsibilities. And for not helping you this morning...I know you were really stressed."  
She bit her lip. "Next time you want help with something, just ask. Please, Eugene, this won't work unless we're a team. We can't let this silly new job wedge between us, because we're usually really good at teamwork and communication."  
He strode up to her hesitantly. "I know. What's on the agenda for the rest of the day?"  
"Nothing really, I don't think," she shook her head, rubbing at her eyes. "Why?"  
"Why don't we make up a schedule? After lunch, of course. We'll write everything down and then maybe we won't be so stressed. Make a time for everything, and we'll work together unless otherwise mentioned." he offered.

She nodded. "Good idea. I'm sorry for overreacting."  
He shook his head, pulling her close. "Nah. You didn't overreact. Either that or we both did. I'll take fifty percent of the blame if you take fifty percent," he teased.  
"No...I'll take sixty five. I started it."  
"And before you started it, I was hiding like...I don't even know what," he chuckled.  
She sighed, burying her face into his shoulder for a minute and thinking . "We're not going to be like this again. We're _not_. I'm so scared that we will, though, and just be so unhappy."  
He rubbed her back comfortingly and shook his head. "We won't. But before we learn how to manage all of this in a stress-free way, we're gonna have our stumbling blocks."  
"I guess. Inevitable, right?" she nibbled her lip.  
"Mhm. But I doubt we'll be unhappy for the rest of our lives. I don't think you're _capable _of being unhappy for such an extended period of time, sunshine."

She crinkled her nose and looked up at him. "Sunshine? That's a new one. And secondly, is that a pun? Seeing as our country's symbol is the sun."  
He mulled that over for a second. He hadn't meant that to be a pun. But..."Hmm. It wasn't originally intended as a pun, but now that you mentioned it..."  
"Oh, huh-uh." she pulled out of his embrace and shook her head. "No. Forget I mentioned it. Forget I mentioned the word _pun_. Please. For the love of-of..of sanity, forget I said the word pun."  
"I think we're officially moving on from the nickname 'Blondie' to the nickname 'Sunshine'," he teased.  
She started to leave the room. "I can't hear you."  
"C'mon, Sunshine..." he teased. In all honesty, he was relieved that this all had blown over and that they'd both apologized and made up. That was the only way he could be teasing her so much straight after a fight. He promptly followed this up by singing some incredibly terrible, impromptu song about Rapunzel being his 'sunshine'.  
She whirled around on her heel, gaping at him and pouncing her hands on her hips. "_Eu_gene..."  
"What?" he asked, striding past her, ducking and kissing her right temple as he passed...before resuming his singing.  
He waited for the mock-irritated yowl, and grinned as he heard it. "See, we can't stay mad for long."  
"Maybe we can," she threw back, "if you don't stop!"


	72. Chapter 72: The Easter Hare

**A/N: Hey, guys! Sorry it's taken me so long to get another chapter up. I've been semi busy with some real-life things, and when I'm not plowing through that stuff, I've been working on another Tangled fanfiction that I'm working on (and am hoping to get up in a few days, maybe?). And I've also been trying to organize ideas for this fanfiction as well (I still have so many various chapter ideas stuck in my head for this alone that they all got jumbled up like a messy ball of yarn in my brain, and I had to unravel them mentally and figure things out before I could continue writing! xD)  
On that note, I'd like an honest opinion from anyone and everyone on this story. If the story continues to revolve around Rapunzel and Eugene's expanding/existing family, their new roles as Prince Consort and Queen, (which involves visiting other countries, a return to Berk, seeing their children grow up, meetings that are avoided at all costs, etc.), and some other random things, will this story become too monotonous? I don't want to mess it up now, and while I do ****love ****writing this and would hate to see it go, I don't want to bore everyone to death. Please give me your extremely honest opinions, it would be very much appreciated; and if you feel that I shouldn't continue the story, please let me know.  
Thank you very much. And thank you for your continued support on the story! It's always appreciated more than you know. You guys all make my day, every day. Anyway. With that aside: chapter 72. I apologize for the unexpected hiatus!  
**

* * *

April brought Easter. Rapunzel's parents were back on a short hiatus from their world tour, which was spectacular. Aisling, Walter, and the twins took off running down the hallway, attacking her parents as soon as they walked into the castle. Aisling and Walter's tutoring sessions were cancelled for the day, merely because the tutors knew that keeping two excited children enclosed in a room and focused on education would be as good as useless.  
And with Easter brought excitement. Eugene told them all the tale of the Easter Hare, who brought goodies to children. The tale had been brought into the country from Germany about a hundred years ago, but the children had never heard of it, thanks to a shortage of the book in stores and a nonexistence of it in the castle library.  
Aisling was immediately skeptical. "A rabbit wouldn't bring treats. I've seen them before, they couldn't," she shook her head vehemently. And because she didn't believe it, Walter didn't, either.  
"How do you know there isn't a huge rabbit out there?" Eugene asked jokingly. Jo, Zack, and Megan were staring at him, rapt with awe at the story.  
"Because," she nodded. "Can't we read another story tonight?" Walter echoed her.  
Rapunzel shook her head, wanting to be disappointed that Aisling and Walter hadn't believed in the Easter Hare, but having to laugh at Aisling's matter-of-fact refusal to believe the tale. All the same, she scooped Jo and Zack up and went to the library to find another story book.  
"What you do think of that, hm? The Easter Hare?" she asked. They were just starting to talk, and surprisingly, Jo was ahead of Zack.  
"Yes!" Jo exclaimed, grinning brightly and hugging Rapunzel's neck.  
"Ees-haiw," Zack garbled eagerly, bobbing his head.  
"So you're looking forward to his visit tonight, hm?" she asked, nuzzling Zack's slightly sticky neck and hugging Jo at the same time.  
They both answered with definite, giggling 'yes's. Rapunzel set them down on the floor of the library until she could retrieve a story book, and then she let them race along behind her, draining a bit more energy before bedtime.

When the kids all went to bed, Rapunzel and Eugene headed down to the kitchen to wrap some handmade chocolates into thin burlap strips, setting them into baskets each for the kids.  
"That girl's something else," Rapunzel laughed. "You didn't fool her."  
He shook his head. "The Easter Hare story was always a hit, even when I was in the orphanage!"  
"She's too wise for her age," Rapunzel shook her head, tying a burlap strip in a knot around a chocolate. "The younger three really took to it, though. Maybe because they were told earlier?"  
"True," he nodded. "I can't believe the castle library didn't have it!"  
Rapunzel laughed. "So the supposedly infinite castle library has officially become finite?"  
"Yes. It's a terrible, terrible day in the castle of Corona." he said, straight-faced.  
She giggled, attempting to brush her hair away from her face without result. "So dreadful, I know. What'll be even more interesting is the sunrise service at the chapel tomorrow. Getting our crew up and ready by then will be interesting!"

The next morning, Rapunzel had the deed of waking Eugene at a less-than-stellar time of four-thirty AM.  
"It's not time yet," he groaned, burying his face in his pillow.  
"Yes it is," Rapunzel said. He was like this every year. "C'mon, you can get the boys ready and I'll get the girls ready. I have the bigger job, anyway. I have to get _four _kids up and-"  
"Four?" he sat up and rubbed his eyes. "Four girls-"  
She giggled. "Johanna, Megan, Aisling, and you. I said four _kids_, not girls specifically, mind."  
"It's too early for mind tricks," he grumbled before the joke hit him. "Hey!"  
"Well, it's true," she teased, poking his side. "I had to wake you up. And it worked."  
"You're awful," he shook his head, yawning and crawling out of bed.  
Two hours later, at the chapel at promptly six-thirty AM, the crew piled into their church pew at the front of the chapel. Rapunzel took Megan and Jo, Eugene took Zack - who was a handful - and Aisling and Walter sat between them. Laurel and James sat beside Rapunzel.  
And then the real games began.  
Megan decided that, though she'd been fed not long ago, she was simply starving for her usual breakfast food of mashed fruits. The wailing commenced, which forced a chain reaction. Jo's lip quivered, and Zack stared with concern at his youngest sister. Aisling offered to take Jo, and Rapunzel's handing over of Jo caused Jo to burst into tears.  
"Mummy," she whimpered. She was still half-asleep and always wanted Rapunzel when she was _awake. _When she was sleepy, it was even worse.  
"I know, sweetie. Just wait," Rapunzel whispered, putting a finger to her lips and making a funny face to tide Jo over. She distracted herself by trying to recreate Rapunzel's facial expression, which was judged quietly by Aisling. Finally, Walter reached around Aisling - and Jo - and took Megan, who calmed for him as he hummed a lullaby he'd never told Rapunzel or Eugene about. It was a special little ditty shared between brother and sister, and neither Rapunzel nor Eugene wanted to break that bond, so Walter was allowed to keep it a secret.  
When _that _crisis was handled, Zack reached over the back of the pew and played little games with the family in the pew behind, giggling a little too loudly.

The bishop wasn't completely pleased with the unusual loudness produced by the royal children. He flashed Rapunzel and Eugene a judgmental gaze, but went on with his service.

At home, they all crashed in their beds until noon, when everyone awoke more energized and agreeable. The youngsters were back to their normally cheery selves, Megan got her beloved mashed fruits, and after lunch, everyone was allowed to inspect their small baskets of treats. The twins were allowed two small pieces of chocolate for the day, and Megan an even smaller amount; but Aisling and Walter were given free rein to ration it themselves.  
And then they all sat down to hear stories from Laurel and James.  
Laurel cuddled Megan as she spoke. "Scotland was amazing. Oh, you've got to go visit Queen Merida someday, darling. The Stonehenge is like it just pounced out from a fairytale."  
"The same goes for the rolling hills and misty days," James added.  
Laurel agreed. "When we were there, we rode on horseback throughout the countryside. It was such a pleasure, not needing guards or not being allowed to do anything simply because of our status."  
"I'll bet," Eugene agreed.  
"Their diet is...interesting," Laurel covered her mouth and laughed, glancing at James. "We went to a small pub of sorts to find food, and they give you whole lamb legs, chickens; oh my goodness, whole servings of their own foods in words I cannot begin to pronounce.."  
"Haggis," James chuckled. "And chranachan. The haggis was an interesting experience."  
"I can tell by the chuckle," Rapunzel grinned. "Did you visit Merida? Or...Queen Merida, I suppose I should say."  
Laurel shook her head sadly. "No, she was too busy. That'll be your job, my darling."

Rapunzel smiled again. "Not like I mind! Meri-_Queen _Merida - is a fun young lady."  
"Her brothers are, too," Aisling piped up.  
"Does my little girl have a crush?" Eugene asked her, grinning teasingly. "Do I have to have a sit-down discussion with this young lad?" he added in a pathetic Scottish accent.  
Aisling's eyes widened. "Daddy!"  
Walter immediately picked up on her horror. Rapunzel could nearly see him filing this information away for later teasing ammunition. Sure, the two got along marvelously, but that didn't mean that they didn't also tease each other.  
James' eyes danced. "The horses were even different. Stocky, very well mannered but extremely big. I suppose they've got to be hardy beasts. Old Maximus looks like he has twigs for legs in comparison."  
Rapunzel smiled sadly. Maximus had been retired from guard duty, and they had taken him as a personal horse. Perhaps the children would learn to ride on him, but regardless of if he was useful, Rapunzel wanted to keep him around. "Big drafts?" she asked.  
"I'm assuming so. They're quite large," he said. "And you're quite sore after riding one. Their backs are very broad."  
They chuckled at James' exaggerated expression of discomfort.

When it was time for the children to head off to bed, Rapunzel took Aisling to bed for once.  
"You still don't believe in the Easter Hare, not even with all that chocolate in your belly?" she poked her tummy teasingly.  
Aisling shook her head, grinning. "It's a funny story, but it isn't true. I saw you and Daddy making chocolates in the kitchen the other day. You _never _do, except for around Easter."  
Rapunzel shook her head and grinned back at her. "So you don't believe in Santa, either? I remember when you used to."  
Aisling hesitated. "I was younger."  
"You're still a young little girl, darling," Rapunzel laughed, tucking her into bed after hugging her. "Don't grow up too fast."  
"I won't," she smiled, displaying neat rows of white teeth, and then reached up to kiss Rapunzel's cheek. "I love you, Mommy."  
"Love you too, baby girl," Rapunzel kissed her forehead and brushed her hair away from her face, her heart swelling before she finally left the room.  
As soon as she did, she was greeted with a sleepy Jo. "Up," she said, hands wiggling and lip trembling.  
"Oh, come here, doll. I should've put you to bed first, huh? I'm sorry." She kissed each of her cheeks and then playfully bumped the tip of her nose against Jo's. "Does that make it better, baby girl?"  
Jo smiled and abruptly buried her face in the crook of Rapunzel's neck. "Mmh," she considered crying from her sleepiness, but decided to simply fall asleep instead.  
Rapunzel crept into the twins' room to set Jo in her cradle, and Eugene was easing Zack into his.  
"Megan and Walter are asleep," he whispered. Rapunzel nodded, settling Jo in her cradle before moving to see Zack in his own. "And Zack, obviously."  
Rapunzel nodded, smiling before they headed out of the twins' room. Even if the kids sometimes were rambunctious or made a ruckus at the chapel, she'd still never get enough of them. She was pretty sure Eugene felt the same way.


End file.
